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fics-and-quotes-andthelike · 7 months ago

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What Happens in the Shadows

Title: What Happens in the Shadows

Pairing: Alastor x reader

Word Count: ~5,155

In which Mimzy has suspicions about Alastor’s feelings towards the reader, and plans to use them to her advantage.

A/N: Part 4 of my Never and Always series

Warnings: TRIGGER WARNING (attempted assault), angst, fluff

Mimzy was a lot of things. She was loud, she was brash, she was showy, and she was bold. She was also, however, good at picking up a scent. Whether it was a good deal to be made, money to be earned, or an advantage to be won, Mimzy was there.

This usually led to one of two things.

One, she would get too confident, pushing herself into a corner when the tables inevitably turned against her, leaving her scrambling to the closest ally she had as a defense.

The second option was much more rare, when she would take her time, allowing herself to gather enough facts to truly know a demon’s weaknesses before pouncing and closing a deal. Though it didn’t happen often, those that did manage to fall under Mimzy’s control were there for eternity, serving and slaving away as she ever so slowly gathered more power.

Mimzy was ever so hungry for power, after all, even if she was bad at obtaining it.

Which is why, when she witnessed the small spectacle at her club between her dear friend Alastor and a lowly sinner who had done nothing but dance with a woman, the gears in her head had started to turn.

She had never mentioned the incident to anyone else, of course. She wasn’t stupid. She knew that the Radio Demon would have her head if she so much as breathed a word of it.

But he couldn’t stop her from thinking. He couldn’t stop her from watching. He couldn’t stop her from noticing. And he most definitely couldn’t stop her from coming.

~~~

“Ya think ya boyfriend would let mine go if you asked nicely?”

You flushed and looked away. “Alastor is not my boyfriend.”

Angel Dust winked over at you. “Uh-huh, sure. Whateva ya say, dollface.”

“He’s not,” you insisted. “We’re just friends.”

From his place behind the hotel bar, Husk put down the cup he was cleaning and looked up at you. “You and Angel are ‘just friends’. You and me? Just friends. You and Alastor?” He shook his head, picking up a new cup as he looked over at you with an expression of vague concern. “You’re more than that.”

“Ha!” Angel said as he pointed over at Husk in triumph.

You could feel embarrassment pooling into your stomach. “You’re both wrong. Al doesn’t-” you struggled to find the words. “Al doesn’t like anyone that way,” you said hesitantly. “And I know for a fact that he doesn’t like me that way. He just feels responsible for me now, that’s all.”

Husk huffed lightly, his eyes narrowing. “Alastor’s never felt responsible for anyone in his life. Not for the souls he’s collected, and definitely not for a sinner that doesn’t owe him any more than the dirt on her shoes.”

You looked away. “I do owe him,” you muttered. “He saved my life.”

Angel laughed forcefully. “That was his choice, toots. You don’t owe him nothin’, ya hear me?” He glanced over at you, his expression bordering on desperation as he searched your eyes.

Maybe you didn’t agree, but it wouldn’t do anybody any good to have Angel and Husk worrying over you with each passing moment while you stubbornly believed that Alastor was a good man who had earned your trust long ago.

So instead, you nodded, smiling softly. “I know.”

Angel nodded firmly, but the concern in his eyes was still overwhelmingly present.

You couldn’t blame him, of course, but you wished with all of your undead heart that the three most important people in your life would just get along. Not that it would ever happen while Alastor held Husk’s soul.

You let out a long exhale before you clapped your hands together and smiled over at the hotel’s bartender. “Alright, enough of that.”

Angel Dust’s expression relaxed as he turned to Husk as well. “She’s right. Pour me a drink.”

Husk returned your grin with one of his own, pouring the three of you a glass and sliding yours over.

The three of you sat in silence for a moment, staring down at your drinks as you thought. You couldn’t say exactly what was going on in Husk and Angel’s heads, but you knew that you personally were thinking about a specific radio-themed Overlord.

You hadn’t seen Alastor since the two of you had danced together in your bedroom a few days prior. It made sense that you hadn’t seen him the day after, of course. It was your day with Angel, and Alastor would love nothing less than to get involved in your makeover session.

The days after that though, were different. Normally, you’d at least catch a glimpse of the demon before he left the hotel to run his radio show or do whatever else Overlords did in their free time. If you weren’t able to catch him before he left, he would always drop by the hotel a little later on, even if just for a moment. But no matter what, he would always stop by your room at the end of the day, and the two of you would just talk.

But now, you hadn’t seen or heard from Alastor in days. You weren’t worried, per say. You knew he was more than capable of taking care of himself. You did miss him, though, and you would be lying if you said that you weren’t looking forward to your next evening conversation.

You drummed your hands lightly on the counter before shifting off of your barstool. It wasn’t likely that Alastor had finally stopped by, but it wouldn’t hurt to check. “I think I’m going to turn in for the night.”

Angel Dust quirked an eyebrow at you playfully. “Sure thing, toots. Just goin’ to bed, nothin’ to do with Smiles at all, right?”

You blushed and turned away, walking towards the staircase leading up to your room. “Goodnight.”

“Have fun,” Angel called up after you as you climbed the stairs and walked down the hallway to your room as quickly as possible.

You breathed a deep sigh of relief when you were able to reach your bedroom without any more comments from Angel. Though, that was probably courtesy of Husk. You made a mental note to thank him in the morning.

You closed your door behind you and leaned against it with a sigh.

Something flitted across your vision. You jerked back.

The object popped up in front of you, causing you to bite back a scream before you recognized it as Alastor’s shadow.

You huffed in annoyance and pushed away from your door, walking around the shadow and making your way to your bed before plopping yourself down. “That was absolutely unnecessary,” you said.

The shadow only smiled, quickly weaving its way over to sit beside you. It took your hand and raised it, pressing a gentle kiss to your knuckles.

You blushed. “Fine, I forgive you,” you said with a giggle.

The shadow’s smile broadened, using its other hand to gently put its claws to your throat as your laughter slowed.

“Not that I don’t love to see you,” you said as your eyes took a quick scan of your room. “But where’s Alastor?” The shadow made a small noise before reaching back and pulling a note off of your nightstand. It turned your hand over to place the folded piece of paper in your palm.

You pulled your hand back and opened the note, your eyes skimming over it as you tried to keep your heart from sinking.

It was a short note, and straight to the point. Alastor wouldn’t be coming back to the hotel that night due to some unfinished business with gaining new territory. He didn’t know when he’d be back. He wished you a good night.

You folded the note again and placed it in between yourself and the shadow. “It’s alright,” you said, forcing a smile on your face. “I understand.”

But the shadow’s smile had lessened significantly, and it stared at you almost expectantly.

“I’m fine, really,” you insisted. “I know he’s busy. I’m just glad he’s okay.”

The shadow looked unconvinced. But, you noticed with disappointment, its eyes had started to flicker back to your window.

“You need to go,” you said. It wasn’t a question.

The shadow looked back at you regretfully.

You reached out and placed your hands on its cheeks, lowering its head until your foreheads touched. “I’ll be okay,” you said quietly. “I promise.”

You released it and moved back.

The shadow caught your hands and pulled you back in, pressing a kiss to each of your palms before pressing them to its chest where its beating heart would have been. It gave you one last long look before it released you and melted back into the shadows, disappearing out your window.

You stared after it for a moment. Part of you wished that it had been Alastor who had come into your room and kissed your palms goodnight. The other, less selfish part of you knew that he had done the best that he could, and you appreciated it more than words could say.

“Don’t worry, he’s always like this,” a voice said from the other side of your room.

You nearly jumped out of your skin as you spun around, searching for its source.

Mimzy stepped forward from the shadows and gave you a sickening smile. “It doesn't mean he doesn't care about you.”

“What are you doing here?” you blurted without thinking. Your hands clutched your bed sheets as she approached you as casually as you would approach a friend in public. But you weren’t in public. And you most definitely weren’t friends.

“Oh, don’t give me that, doll,” Mimzy said with a wave of her hand. “I’ve been dying to see you ever since Al brought you to my club.”

“Why?” you asked before pressing your lips together. It wouldn’t do you any good to antagonize her, you knew. But you couldn’t seem to stop yourself. “What do you want from me?”

A small voice in the back of your head wondered how she had managed to slink into the shadows and avoid Alastor’s. Shadows were part of his domain, after all. Shouldn’t he have sensed her?

Mimzy’s smile changed into something more sinister. “I don’t want anything from you, doll. You’re a sweet little thing, but-” she looked you up and down with a note of disdain. “I have a feeling you wouldn’t make me much revenue.”

You felt an anger flare up inside of you. You stood, crossing your arms and pasting what you hoped was a firm expression on your face. “If you don’t want anything from me, why go out of your way to sneak into my room?”

The club owner’s smile only grew. “Relax, sugar, I’m not here to trick you into services. I’m here to talk about ol’ Alastor.”

You tried to hide the surprise and fear that shot through your core. “What about him?”

“Well,” Mimzy said with nonchalance as she began to stroll through your bedroom, poking at your belongings. “We both know that he tends to keep to himself. Not many friends, but loads of enemies, am I right? But he’s really just a sweetheart, that’s why we’ve been friends for years now.”

You blinked. “Alright.”

“But,” Mimzy continued, her voice oddly sweet. “I noticed the other night that he’s taken a bit of a shine to you.”

You dropped your arms and shook your head. “That’s not true. Alastor and I-”

Mimzy waved a hand dismissively. “Now, I’m not one to stir up unnecessary drama. But Al’s my friend, so I’ve been a bit worried about him since then.” She turned to look at you, her eyes boring intently into yours. “He’s an Overlord, you know. Lots of enemies. If any of them find out about you, think about what it’ll do to his reputation. Or worse,” she said, her eyes widening dramatically as she placed her hands on her cheeks. “His power.”

You flinched.

If you were being honest, the very same thought had crossed your mind more than once. Every time you went out with Alastor, even for a brief moment, you worried about being seen with him. You worried what it would do for his image.

He had been quick to ease your concerns, reassuring you that nobody would dare cross him, even if he were to be seen with you.

Even so, you had noticed that he was careful to never touch you, and rarely ever look at you, when the two of you were in public.

But, it seemed, despite all of his precautions, that your night together at Mimzy’s might have started something that you had feared from the very beginning.

You swallowed heavily, meeting Mimzy’s gaze as you repeated the same words that Alastor had said to you, time and time again. “Nobody would dare cross the Radio Demon.”

Mimzy nodded enthusiastically in agreement. “Of course they wouldn’t, sugar. But they might mess with you. And if Al cares about you half as much as I think he does, well, that’ll be enough to ruin everything that he’s ever worked for.”

You bit your lip with worry. You were never quite as good as Alastor when it came to hiding your emotions. “So why did you come to me?”

The demoness shrugged. “I knew Al would never listen if I told him that you were bad for him.”

You winced.

“But,” she continued, “I thought maybe you could convince him.”

An alarm bell began to ring in the back of your mind. “Convince him of what?” you asked wearily.

“To keep his distance from you,” Mimzy said, a little too quickly for your liking. “The longer you stick around, the more he gets attached. And the more he gets attached, well…” she smiled, her teeth sharp and her eyes dark. “The more likely it is that our old friend gets tossed out of commission.”

Your gaze hardened. “You want me to stay away from Al? Fat chance.”

Mimzy laughed, the sound forced and brittle. “Not at all, sugar. I won’t be the one who ripped the two of you apart.” She began walking towards your bedroom door. “In fact, I think you two are adorable together. But, you see, it’s not just Alastor I’m looking out for. I’ve gotta take care of myself, too,” she said as she turned to face you.

You recoiled at the sight of her hardened eyes and cruel expression.

Your bedroom door opened, revealing two large demons that closed the door behind them, blocking your exit. You whirled around as another demon entered through your window, cutting off your only other means of escape.

“Mimzy-” you began.

“Don’t you worry, doll. They can’t exactly kill you again, can they?” she giggled. “They’ll just rough you up a little so that Alastor can finally come to his senses.”

“What are you talking about?” you asked as panic began to set in.

“Let me explain it in simple terms for you, hun. I need you to help me break Alastor and get him away from you. Whether or not you help me willingly is completely up to you,” she said with a shrug.

“If Al does care about me,” you said desperately, “then it won’t do any good for you to hurt me. This is just going to make things worse for him. It’ll make him angry. He’ll lash out.”

Mimzy’s eerie grin only grew in size. “Oh, I’m counting on it, sugar. I can’t exactly gain more territory with the Radio Demon breathing down everyone’s neck. If I can get to him through you, he’ll be too upset to think straight.” She chuckled. “If I’m lucky, he’ll be the cause of his own downfall. With him out of the way, things can be the way they’re meant to be.”

The three demons surrounding you came closer.

“Mimzy,” you gasped. “Please, don’t do this. Alastor’s one of your oldest friends, he doesn’t deserve this.”

The club owner tilted her head in consideration. “Well, I suppose I can make an exception.” Her teeth flashed. “If you were willing to cut a deal with me.”

The demons grew closer still.

You could feel your resolve faltering. One measly deal to get out of this mess didn’t sound too bad. But as you looked back over at Mimzy, her eyes flashing and her smile turning into a snarl, the voice in your head that screamed out to protect Alastor came to the forefront of your mind with full force. Any deal that you made with Mimzy would only be used to hurt Alastor, and you would never forget how you had met him in the first place.

He had saved you once. You weren’t going to make him save you again.

You straightened and stared straight into Mimzy’s eyes. “I hope you get what’s coming to you,” you spat.

The sinner shrugged. “Whatever you say, doll. Have fun, fellas!”

You heard your door open and close as the demons drew nearer, blocking your view.

A deep fear spread throughout your body, starting in your chest and working its way out. You could scream, but you were almost certain that Mimzy had found a way to mute the sounds from your room to the rest of the hotel. Nobody was coming to save you.

You squeezed your eyes shut and braced yourself as a feeling of regret shot through your heart. You had never thanked Husk for having your back. You had never finished your makeover with Anthony. You had never told your friends how much they had helped you, and how much you appreciated them.

You had never told Alastor that you loved him.

You let out a sob. You cursed yourself for crying.

A hand grabbed your arm roughly, your eyes flying open in horror. But before the demon could do so much as pull you closer, a shadow swept through your window and across the room, knocking the other two demons away from you. The third demon tightened his grip on your arm, but it was already much too late.

The lights in your room began to flicker as a new shadow entered your room. It grew in size, becoming more and more solid until it finally took the shape of one of the most feared Overlords in Hell.

“I do believe,” Alastor said to the last standing demon as his antlers began to grow and his eyes began to flicker. “You have something that belongs to me.”

You didn’t wait to hear the demon’s response before you shut your eyes and turned away. You knew what came next, and though you had yet to argue with Alastor over his methods, you had no wish to see them for yourself.

The demon’s hand was ripped from your arm. Even without your sight, you were able to hear the screams of all three intruders as Alastor and his shadow punished them a mere feet away from you.

You sank down onto the ground, keeping your eyes closed as you pulled your knees up to your chest and buried your head in your arms. The tears that had begun to flow earlier suddenly returned with a vengeance, making their way down your cheeks as you sobbed violently.

You’re safe. You’re safe. Al is here now. You’re safe, you thought to yourself as you pulled your knees in tighter.

But another, horrible voice spoke up as you cried. He wasn’t able to see Mimzy, it said. Why wasn’t he able to see Mimzy? If this happens again, will he know? Will he miss it?

Can he save me?

You gasped and whipped your head up when a gentle hand brushed your arm.

Alastor was staring right back at you, kneeling on your floor. His smile was tense and close-lipped, his expression concerned. “It’s only me, mon chere.”

You glanced behind him and noticed vaguely that Mimzy’s three demons were nowhere to be seen.

Your chest began to hitch as you tried to hold your tears back. “I’m so sorry, Al,” you said, hating the way your voice broke. “I should have been able to defend myself, I’m so sorry.” The tears began again, your body slumping forward as you began to weep.

A pair of arms caught you and gathered your body closer until you were resting against a warm chest.

Al’s shadow, you thought to yourself as you nuzzled closer.

One of its arms wrapped around your back, holding you close, while its other hand grasped one of yours and pressed it to its chest. It held you tightly, allowing you to cry and hiccup into its shoulder.

You weren’t sure how long you sat there before your sobs became whimpers, and your whimpers became hiccups. You weren’t sure how long it held you before you were able to breathe properly.

The hand holding yours released you gently, coming up to wipe your tears away from your face.

You finally opened your swollen eyes, already regretting having been found in such a vulnerable state.

You came face to face with Alastor’s shadow. Holding Alastor’s staff.

Standing across the room.

You gasped and pulled back violently, causing yourself to fall out of Alastor’s lap and onto your floor.

The Overlord didn’t react, instead watching you with an expressionless smile on his face.

“I thought you were your shadow,” you stammered. “I didn’t realize-”

“I do hope you aren’t going to apologize for reacting to the given situation, my dear,” Alastor said as he tilted his head at you. He sounded, much to your surprise, mildly annoyed.

You froze. “Are you mad at me?”

A flash of irritation appeared in the Overlord’s eyes as his teeth gleamed. “We’ve now spent a notable amount of time together. I do hope you know me a bit better than that.” His voice held a note of challenge.

You sniffed and brought your knees to your chest once again without a response.

Alastor’s eyes softened and his smile eased at the sight of your trembling form. He sighed, the sound revealing an internal exhaustion that he would never admit to out loud. “I assure you, mon chere, my anger does not lie with you.”

You nodded, looking away.

Silence. Deep silence.

But you couldn’t avoid the upcoming conversation forever.

“People have seen us together, Al,” you finally said, your throat raw. You looked up at him. “People who want to take your power.”

You didn’t miss the way the demon’s smile tensed.

“I won’t be the reason that you lose everything you’ve built so far,” you said, trying to keep your voice steady. “You deserve more than what I can give you.”

Alastor stood abruptly, climbing gracefully to his feet before offering you one of his clawed hands and pulling you up beside him.

He released you and grasped your chin in between his fingers, tilting your head up to face him.

“Any demon who hopes to steal my power is going to find themselves sorely disappointed, my dear, regardless of whether or not your presence is noticed.” His eyes hardened. “I am more than capable of holding on to what I’ve gained.”

“You couldn’t sense Mimzy,” you blurted, regretting the words as they left your lips, but unable to stop them. “You didn’t realize she was there until-” you swallowed. “What if it happens again, but this time they come for you?” You hated how desperate you sounded. “What if they hurt you, Al?”

The Overlord tilted his head. His smile twitched and his grip only strengthened as he looked down at you with something resembling regret. “I do admit that both myself and my shadow were a bit distracted during its visit, and I do apologize for not preventing this whole ordeal before it ever began.”

“That’s not what I meant-” you started weakly.

Alastor’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Though I can promise you that such a thing will never happen again, mon chere. Not while I still stand.”

You didn’t respond. Not because you doubted his ability to take care of you, of course. But because you didn’t want this added responsibility to prevent him from taking care of himself.

“I do hope,” the demon continued, the static in his voice suddenly disappearing as he searched your gaze. “That you haven’t finally begun to doubt me.”

You shook your head as well as you were able to with his fingers still clutching your jaw. “No,” you whispered. “Never.”

And in a rare display of courage, you reached out, placing your hands gently on either side of the Radio Demon’s face as he released your jaw. You pulled him down until your foreheads met. “Never,” you repeated, your voice firm. “And if you really aren’t worried, and you want me to stay, then I will.” You pulled back to look into his eyes. “I’ll stay with you. Always.”

Alastor’s hands reached up and settled on top of yours as his eyes bore into you. “That’s quite the commitment, my dear,” he said. There was something strange in his voice, something that sounded almost like uncertainty, almost like tension, almost like fear.

Your grip on his face tightened as you looked up at him. “I mean it, Al. I’ll stay with you, if you’ll have me. If you’re sure.”

Now, there were a great many things that Alastor would never do. He’d never make a deal that he wasn’t in control of. He’d never submit to the Vees. He’d never tell Charlie the real reason that he was in her hotel.

He’d never tell you that he loved you.

But, he found as he stared into your eyes, he would absolutely give up everything that he’d ever built if it meant that he got to keep you.

“I don’t intend to lose anything, my dear. Least of all you.”

You blushed, maintaining eye contact as a gentle smile took the place of your previous frown.

Alastor leaned forward. You followed his lead, expecting to press your forehead to his, when he surprised you by placing a soft kiss on your forehead.

You pulled back and smiled up at him before pulling him down to place your own kiss on his cheek.

Maybe Mimzy was right. Maybe you were something of a danger to the Radio Demon. But you’d be double-damned if you were going to give up on him so easily.

“Now,” Alastor said, his eyes flashing dangerously as he released you and stepped back. His shadow surged forward, returning Alastor’s staff to its rightful owner and standing behind its master with a chilling grin.

Alastor faced you, his smile gentle and his eyes hard as the static returned to his voice with full force. “Would you care to give me the name of the foolish soul who tried to harm what was mine?”

~~~

Nobody had seen or heard from Mimzy in days.

Three new screams had joined the Radio Demon’s broadcast.

You’d been too afraid to leave the hotel for a few days.

Alastor had begun checking your room every night before leaving you alone.

Nobody else at the hotel knew what had happened to you. Not even Angel and Husk.

You gained back your courage in the following weeks with help from Alastor.

The two of you had grown closer than ever.

Nobody had seen or heard from Mimzy in weeks.

~~~

You leaned back against your bed’s headboard, watching as Alastor had his shadow sweep through your room once again.

“I’m fine, Al,” you said, trying to contain your laughter. “Really. Nobody else is going to get in. There’s locks on the windows, and your room is close enough to be able to hear if something goes wrong.”

Alastor hummed in acknowledgement, though his eyes continued to roam around your room until he was satisfied.

He turned to you with a grin. “I’m only protecting what is mine, mon cœur.” He turned to your door, walking away from you with his shadow following close behind. “I do expect to see you bright and early in the morning for a short stroll.”

It was your turn to hum in agreement.

You were more than thrilled with the offer, of course, but you felt a sense of unease that threatened to keep you up all night. You didn’t doubt Alastor’s abilities, of course, but you worried about what might happen to him if he was attacked while he was momentarily distracted with keeping you safe.

Alastor’s hand reached towards your doorknob. “I bid you a good night, my dear.”

“Will you stay with me tonight?” you blurted before you could lose your courage.

Alastor froze in place, his hand hovering. His shadow, however, was much more reactive. It leapt up in excitement and made its way back over to your bed, jumping in beside you and nuzzling its head against your cheek.

You giggled and pulled away, allowing the shadow to slowly run a clawed hand from the base of your throat up to your chin before looking back over at its owner.

He had turned to look at you, a fond expression on his face as he watched the interaction.

“Only if you want to, of course,” you said hurriedly as your smile began to slip. “I don’t mean to pressure you.”

Alastor waved a hand dismissively before he made his way over to you. “You couldn’t pressure me if you tried, my dear.”

Your heart soared as you moved over, giving him enough room to not have to even brush against you during the night.

The Overlord climbed into your bed easily, settling against your headboard before looking down at you with a raised eyebrow. “I do hope you weren’t expecting me to sleep.”

You smiled. “Not at all.” You began to shuffle around to get comfortable and to avoid looking into his eyes when you said, “I just feel safer when you’re here, that’s all.”

The last words of your sentence had hardly left your lips before Alastor’s shadow finally moved from its place on your other side. You laughed as it nudged you over before wrapping its arms around you and pulling your back to its chest, giving you a sense of security that you had never found with anyone else.

You closed your eyes and nuzzled in, allowing yourself to be swept away in a wave of comfort and exhaustion. “Goodnight, Al,” you murmured as you drifted away. “Thank you. For everything.”

You fell asleep before you could hear his response.

So you didn’t see his eyes soften. You didn’t see him reach out and grasp one of your hands in his own. You didn’t see him lean down and press a soft kiss to your temple. You didn’t hear his last words before he began to doze as well.

“Thank you, mon cœur.”

Part 5 Here!

A/N 2: I really hope you guys enjoyed this one!! This is an ongoing series, so let me know if you’d like to be tagged!

I’d also like to continue writing for Hazbin Hotel, so send me requests and let me know if you’d like to be tagged in any those as well :))

Taglist: @severusminerva @anh4125 @midorichoco @rapturenyx @maybememoriesx @martinys-world @axellovesalastor @mo-0-o @looking1016 @saturn-alone @sirens-and-moonflowers

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eggcats · 8 months ago

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Radiodust/Radiohuskerdust fic where Alastor has the ability to know and remember ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that's been played on any radio in hell, since he's arrived

(He also has the ability to control what people listen to, but forcing people to listen to his radio show is uncouth and Vox levels of desperation, so he doesn't. However, he DOES prevent anyone else from using his airwaves during his scheduled showtime, because it's rude otherwise.)

Angel discovers this one day when he's lamenting about some song being stuck in his head that he heard on the radio, like 2 weeks ago, and after he hums part of the melody Alastor just starts playing it for him. And Angel is like "?????? what???" While Alastor is just like "My dear, I know everything that broadcasts over my airwaves, this is child's play."

Angel is suspicious, his entire mood is

And so, a game begins where Angel will hear a song he's POSITIVE Alastor would have never listened to, and then he quizzes Alastor later to see if he can still guess the song. So far, Alastor has never not played the correct song Angel is thinking about. (Angel could always lie, but that's outside the spirit of the game, so he never does.)

Eventually it develops into Alastor immediately guessing which song Angel will ask him about, leading to confusing most other members of the hotel when as SOON as Angel walks into a room Alastor is in, he will play some music and Angel will yell "goDAMMIT SMILES GIVE ME A FUCKIN' SECOND FIRST!"

The only time Alastor starts getting the songs wrong is when Angel, seemingly out of the blue, starts only listening to love songs. He's unsure what changed, but it seems like Angel is determined to only make Alastor play love songs for him now.

Therefore, Alastor becomes convinced that Angel is trying to figure out how to confess to Husk his feelings. And despite not being good with those feelings himself, he offers to assist in his endeavor since he's known Husker for a great deal of time. (If the idea makes Alastor kind of uncomfortable and sick, it's simply because soft emotions do so, and NOTHING about Angel no longer giving him any attention. Clearly.)

(You can choose your own adventure, but I like to go with the radiohuskerdust angle personally.)

So, with the radiohuskerdust angle, it's funnier if, by this point, Angel and Husk are already dating. And so now Angel has to deal with the guy he likes trying to set him up with his boyfriend. Husk is absolutely no help, he finds it hilarious. (This is all the more exasperated by Alastor seeing Angel complain to Husk about this situation, and try to ask for advice on how to tell Alastor that the love songs are for HIM, and Alastor assuming his advice is working.)

#hazbin hotel #alastor #angel dust #husk #husker #radiodust #radiohuskerdust #hazbin alastor #hazbin angel dust #hazbin husk #long post #fic #mine #radiohusk #huskerdust

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hazbinshusk · 22 days ago

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a masterlist of my unofficial attempt at this year's kinktober event. 25 days of kinky x reader love. all fics are 18+ in nature, so please, mdni. hope you enjoy, please remember to like/reblog your favourites, and I'd love to hear your thoughts :)

Note: almost all the reader characters are afab. their relationships with stolas and angel are qpr within the larger poly!dynamic. husk and blitz serve as the hinge in these dynamics. individual fics will note which ones feature gn!readers.

colour coding: huskerdust | husk | blitz | stolitz

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

day one: breathplay

day two: titty-fucking

day three: mirror sex/body worship

day four: balcony sex

day five: lingerie

day six: phone sex

day seven: sleepy sex

day eight: shibari/sex toys/overstimulation

day nine: handjobs/public

day ten: nipple play/temperature play

day eleven: massage/blowjobs

day twelve: keep quiet/formalwear/semi-public/gags

day thirteen: cream pie/cum eating

day fourteen: heat sex/breeding/touch starved

day fifteen: pegging/anal/praise kink

day sixteen: mutual masturbation/camshows/sex tapes

day seventeen: handcuffs/blindfolds/marking/flogging

day eighteen: free use/authority kink/daddy kink

day nineteen: cockwarming/in the workplace

day twenty: size difference/monster fucking/thigh fucking

day twenty-one: voyeurism/dry humping

day twenty-two: bath sex/thigh riding

day twenty-three: knotting/hand kink

day twenty-four: face-sitting/spanking

day twenty-five: aftercare

#my fic #masterlist #kinktober 2024 #salem's unofficial attempt at kinktober #husk x reader #angel dust x reader #huskerdust x reader #blitz x reader #blitzo x reader #blitzø x reader #stolas x reader #stolas goetia x reader #stolitz x reader #helluva boss x reader #hazbin hotel x reader

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theoisdaydreaming · 9 months ago

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Husk overlord this, husk overlord that

WHAT ABOUT ANGEL?!? WHERE ARE THE ANGEL OVERLORD FICS

#pls #all the fics i've read on overlord huskerdust have the same plot #huskerdust #overlord husk au #overlord angel dust #hazbin hotel husk #angel dust hazbin hotel #husker hazbin hotel #husker x angel dust

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miacutie · 10 months ago

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Pornstar and the Virgin: Final Chapter

art by @1616subaru

Husk and Angel finally reunite in the afterlife. Of course this means Angel gets to finally deflower him.

Read here

Start Ch 1

#huskerdust #hazbin hotel #hazbin #husk #angel dust #huskerdust fanfiction #huskerdust fic

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anxious-lee · 10 months ago

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The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Known || Hazbin Tickle Fic ||

A/N: this entire fic was inspired by that one scene where Al threatens Husk in ep 5. it broke my heart to see him so utterly petrified so I wrote this as a hurt/comfort for myself

Warnings: mentions of Alastor's control over Husk, slight NSFW language but it's not actually sexual I just didn't have any synonyms for what I meant lol

Word count: 2,466

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When you're an Overlord of Hell, you tend to get pretty comfortable with staying in control.

Because one wrong move can mean the end of the line.

Husk knew that better than most.

And even now, after all that power of his was lost, he still found himself more suited to calling the shots in whatever situation he found himself in. It was just easier that way. If he could remain on top of things, then nothing would go wrong. Mostly.

That feeling of security never lasted long, though, because sooner or later, he was reminded of the terrible choice he made long ago. That he gave away his autonomy to the most psychotic demon in hell.

The way he spoke to him. Like he was so small. And insignificant. Like he existed purely for the bastard's own amusement and nothing else. Any input given was condescended to, patronized, and dehumanized. It formed an ugly little pit in Husk's chest. How little control he had once Alastor stepped into the room. It scared him, in a way that so few things did.

At least he had someone else to talk to who knew how he felt.

Speaking of whom, Angel Dust strutted into the bedroom, sporting a fluffy silk robe.

"Hope I didn't make you wait too long~" he whined seductively.

"Not long at all," the other purred.

The two settled down together in bed, soaking in each other's embrace.

Tonight was all about them, huddled together in hell's moonlight.

Husk remained still as Angel shifted downward until his head fit under Husk's chin, knowing just where to go.

He loved to be pampered, that much was obvious.

It was peaceful for some time before Angel's eyes suddenly blinked open.

"Hey. How come you never want a turn at being the little spoon? I'm not unreasonable, I'm sure we could share," he said coyly.

Husk didn't quite know what to say to that. It wasn't something that needed to be spoken in words. Husk dominated, Angel submitted (in more ways than one). It seemed almost absurd to suggest that Husk would be the one being given affection.

"Nah, I'm good. You look pretty comfy down there, anyway."

Angel, however, wasn't satisfied with that answer. He pulled himself back to get a good look at the cat's face, cocking his own head curiously. Who wouldn't want to be on the receiving end? Even once? It couldn't be understated how warm and protected one could feel in the arms of another. And Husk didn't want that? Did he feel pressured to say that because he knew Angel liked to take that spot?

"Really? You THAT much of a top that you can't play second fiddle once?" said Angel.

"I'm just not a big... "softy-cuddles" kinda guy, as if you already couldn't tell," Husk admitted, gesturing to his overall gruff demeanor.

Angel studied his face.

"Not buying that for a second," he said, punctuating each word with a poke to the chest. "Come on, you're missing out!"

"That's sweet, babe, but I'm-"

"Just five minutes?" Angel pleaded, holding five fingers up in front of him, "Five minutes of me cuddling you for a change. If you decide you hate it, I won't bring it up again. I just... you're always taking care o' me. I want to give some of that back to you, ya'know? You deserve it."

Fuck.

How was he supposed to say no to those puppy eyes?

Besides, it couldn't hurt... right?

"Fine," Husk relented.

"Yay!" His boyfriend cheered.

They rearranged their positions; Husk now farther down the length of the bed and Angel wrapping all three pairs of arms around him like a furry burrito. His knees and head also tucked themselves inward to cradle the cat properly.

It still made Husk a little tense, letting someone handle him so willfully, but the touch was too nice to deny for very long. Thoughts of safety oozed into his brain as his body relaxed against the chest behind him.

"See? Now isn't this nice?" said Angel softly, barely above a whisper, "For a man who supposedly doesn't little-spoon, you've got the moves down pat."

"I'm not making any moves," Husk mumbled, smiling loudly in his voice.

"Well, you're relaxed, aren't ya?"

In a way.

Angel peered down at the bundle of fuzz, taking in how much shorter he was in comparison.

"Awww! I never noticed how cute you were from up here." His hand began petting the top of the kitty's head, smoothing down the hair.

And there was that feeling again. The one that couldn't let Husk enjoy a good thing while he had it. The fear of releasing control.

"I'm not a pet," he grumbled, having no control over the defensiveness in his voice.

Angel, ever oblivious, pressed on. "Oh, but you are to me~. My sweet little Husky~."

Finally, the camel's back broke under that straw.

"Just stop, okay?! I don't-" Husk took a much-needed breath, sitting up, "I know being treated like a toy is your thing, but it's not mine. I don't like being talked to like I'm a pet. Like all I am is your little dancing monkey." It dawned on him just how much of all that was directed at Alastor. The words sunk in like cement in a lake, and he turned his eyes away, unable to look at what he just ruined.

Angel blinked. All of sudden, the moment had soured, and he had no clue why. Was it something he said? Husk said he didn't want to be treated like a toy. Is that how he felt? Like he wasn't valued? That wasn't what he was trying to say at all! It was adoration! Not condescension.

"What...?" Angel breathed.

"Forget it. Just, I'm sorry-"

"No! No, don't apologize," Angel interrupted, choosing his next words carefully, "I'm sorry if I made you feel that way. It wasn't what I meant to say. I wasn't tryin' to say you were weak or small. I was... I was trying to tells you that I adore ya. You do so much for me and our friends. You look out for us, and protect us, and listen to our bullshit problems all the time.

"I think so highly of you, Husk. You don't take shit from no one, not even me. You're unafraid to speak your mind. You know how to keep your head when life gets messy. I got nothing but respect for you. That's why I wanted to do all this. That's why I want to pamper you with love and shit. Because you're always so strong, and I wanted to... I don't know... give you the space where you didn't have to be strong. Not with me."

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Husk couldn't find the words even if he tried. He had never heard such meaningful things spoken about him. Him, the grouchy barfly. How could he possibly come back from such a beautiful declaration? Especially now with how foolish he felt. It had never occurred to him that accepting affection was an act of good, and not an admission of weakness. That someone could be trusted to hold him in their hands and lift him up rather than drag him down.

Angel could never be Alastor. This was not a hostage situation.

This was a security.

One that he felt that he needed in this moment more than ever.

"Fuck... I'm sorry. I messed up everything and spoiled the mood. I'm still not very good at this whole intimacy stuff," Husk sighed.

"I know, and it's okay. I can teach you," Angel cupped his hand around Husk's cheek.

Husk leaned into the touch. "And uh... thanks. For what you said."

"I meant it."

What did Husk do on Earth to deserve such an Angel?

"Look, if uh. Ahem. If you still wanted to... to do what you were doing before... you know, I won't fight you," Husk stammered, falling quieter with each word.

If that's the only means of permission that Angel can get right now, then he'll take it. He gently eased Husk onto his back once more.

"Good. 'Cause I still have lots more love to give you, sweetcheeks." Angel's iconic smile returned.

Even though Husk basically just admitted he wanted Angel to keep going, his praises were beginning to fluster him. The corners of his lips started to rise, and the only defense he had against them was to turn his face away from the man in front of him.

"You like it when I talk to you like that, huh, baby? Do you hear in my voice how much I'm crazy about you? How I'd do anything for ya? Cause I would~. There's nothing that you don't deserve," Angel said, scratching oh so lightly beneath Husk's chin.

Husk squeezed his eyes shut as he surrendered to his smile and tried to crush Angel's hand with his neck.

"It's true~. Because you're just the cutest little thing alive! Er, unalive, so to speak," the spider said, feeling encouraged by this reaction, and bringing another hand to scritch in the middle of his side.

Before he could stop it, a giggle escaped from Husk's mouth. Mortified, he then clamped his jaw shut, holding any more upcoming laughs in.

"You don't have to pretend for me, baby. It's just us here," said Angel, now bringing all three sets of arms into the mix. One pair was tracing his sides, another scritching either sides of his neck, and the last drumming their fingers torturously over his belly.

The giggles rose back up again, and this time shutting his mouth wasn't keeping them at bay. If he weren't so stubborn, he might've given in by now. But it was just too embarrassing.

Husk clapped his paws over his mouth, and while it did (partially) succeed in quieting his laughter, it didn't do anything to remedy the tickly sensations now all over his torso. He twitched and quivered under the touch, but with Angel hovering over him, it didn't leave much room for reprieve.

"This looks like it really tickles. I'm sure you'd feel better if you let all those laugh out!" Angel encouraged, "Pleeeeeease? For me? For yourself?"

Still, he didn't budge.

"Okay. I didn't wanna have to do this, but you've left me with no otha' options." Angel took one hand that was scratching his chin and took both of Husk's paws in it, holding them above the cat's head.

The effect was gradual.

At first, you couldn't hear a peep. Then, over a matter of seconds, Husk's giggles began to bubble up once more, fighting their way to the surface, and tickling him from the inside out.

It was over. Before long, there was nothing between the loving attacker and the melodic sound he adored so much. It started out deeper and huskier, much like his normal speaking voice, but with each passing moment, it grew higher in pitch; the kind of laugh he reserved only for his softer moments with Angel.

The spider took this as a sign to continue and deepened the pressure of all of his appendages, digging into the jittery muscles.

Husk couldn't even recognize himself anymore. He sounded nothing like the bitter old drunk he normally was. In its place, was a goofy little lovesick fool who laughed like no one in the world could hear him. He guffawed and chortled and cackled with reckless abandon.

"There it itihis! There's that gorgeous laughter!" Said Angel. "For a moment there, I thought you was bout to explode!"

The compliment somehow made everything worse. The helplessness of the situation was still there, the feeling of being small, but it was... different. Like he was small enough to be held in someone's palm and protected from all harm. It felt safe.

Husk's cheeks began to burn red.

Hopefully, Angel would be too distracted to notice.

"Aw baaabe! Are you blushin'?!"

Fuck.

As if on cue, his cheeks burned brighter.

"Am I making you feel flustered~? Does it make it tickle more?"

"WOHOHOULD YOU SHUHUT UHUHUP?!"

"So it does. Hmm," Angel hummed as he started moving his hands faster and faster up and down his body. Up his sides, then down his sides, up his tummy, then down his tummy.

It was maddening.

It was tortuous.

It was wonderful.

If Heaven didn't feel like this, he didn't want it. If salvation didn't give him the same amount of relief and safety and joy that playing with his lover gave, then it wasn't worth it. He'd stay in this inferno of hell forever if it meant he could stay with Angel. Stay in this moment.

The demon in question kept on with his teases.

"Who's the cutest little thing~?" Angel cooed as he noticed Husk jump when he touched the lowest portion of his belly, "Ohoho, looks like someone's ticklish! Coochie coochie coooo~!"

Just when Husk thought he couldn't laugh any harder, he did.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA YOU FUHUHUCKING PRIHIHICK HAHAHA!" Husk snorted.

"Oho my gosh! You sound just like Fat Nuggets!" Angel chortled.

Husk's laughter was beginning to go silent, and started getting wheezier. This, Angel knew, meant it was time to stop.

"Alright, doll, I think you've had enough," Angel said as he released his prisoner.

As the spider removed his hands from his body, Husk started panting and giggling hysterically, still feeling the phantom sensations on his skin.

"Need some help there?" Angel offered, moving his hands back towards the other's belly.

Husk curled away from his hands, "Dohohon't!"

"I'm not gonna tickle ya, I swear! I'm just gonna get the leftover tickles to go away. Okay?"

Husk nodded hesitantly and revealed his stomach to him.

Angel's hands met his fur, and although it did jump at first, the firm pressure and massaging motions rubbed away the remaining tickles, just like he said it would.

"Dahamn. That really works." Husk breathed.

"Right? Now do you feel better?"

"Yeah," Husk sat up as Angel gave him room, "You know, for such a compliant gentleman, you sure do know how to take charge."

Angel swiveled to Husk with his mouth agape. "I can be a boss when I wanna be!"

"Heh. Sure, power bottom."

Angel reached for Husk's right foot (or paw) and skittered one set of fingers over it.

"NonononONONOHOHO! I'M SORRY, I TAKE IT BACK! I tahahake it bahahack! Hehehehe!"

"Uh huh. That's what I thought," Angel stopped and huffed with a wink, nothing but kind love behind his eyes, "So. You ready for bed?"

"After all that laughing? Hell yes I am. I might even sleep through tomorrow." Husk said tiredly.

Angel chuckled, sidling up behind Husk and gently cacooning his arms around him again.

"This okay?"

Husk sighed.

"It's perfect."

-------

Wooh! That was a rollercoaster! 😅 Hope the people that wanted lee!husk enjoyed this fic 🫶

#tickle #tickles #tickling #ticklish #tickle community #tickle fic #hazbin hotel tickles #lee!husk #ler!angeldust #huskerdust tickles

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grayintogreen · 10 months ago

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Please don’t mind me thinking about that longing look Angel shot Husk like he really wanted to ask him to sleep with him on the last night of the world and he knew better than to ask. I’ll probably die thinking of that.

#hazbin hotel spoilers #hazbin hotel #huskerdust #I could hear ten thousand soft fics being birthed in that moment #not mine I’m in the slow burn trenches eating this up

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battlekidx2 · 8 months ago

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I'm making this post purely to shout out some incredibly talented fanfic writers from the Hazbin Hotel fandom and my favorite works of theirs.

Did anyone ask me for this? No. Will I post it anyway? Absolutely. The writers in this fandom are too good.

The first fanfic writer I want to shout out is @prince-liest (ao3 link)

I absolutely love their get cared for idiot (Alastor) series (not the official name but they called it that in one of their asks jokingly so it's now the default in my head).

Knock, Knock! It's Your Worst Fucking Nightmare! (this fic gets it!!!! This is what I meant when I said Alastor is growing a heart and part of him is raging against it. He still has ulterior motives and a massive amount of pride and part of him feels like that growing fondness is getting in the way, but he can't stop it. I need to stop before this becomes a long ramble. I've written a couple thousand words on this idea, but this fic is just a better use of your time than any meta I could ever write and way more entertaining :D )

Happily Ever After, and Other Shit Nepotism Can't Buy

The Last Bus Stop in Hell, Now Boarding (Please look at the tags for content warning. Angel and Alastor body swap story.)

They're amazing at balancing on that razor's edge with Alastor where there's a heart in there (really deep) and he's unintentionally growing attached to the hazbin crew, but he doesn't lose his edge. He's still manipulative and an asshole and can easily be the scariest guy in any room. He's in hell for a reason. A+ characterization at all times.

They're so good at writing the complicated dynamics he has with the residents, especially Charlie, and I enjoy how they expand on Alastor's potential dynamic with Angel Dust.

Anything they write from Lucifer's POV is gold too! My favorites are:

Take Two and Leave a Voicemail!

The Care and Keeping of Homo Angelus

I am also 100% here for their Aro!Alastor agenda and I'm enjoying their fic I Love Her, I Love Her Not so far!

The second person I want to shout out is @grayintogreen (ao3 link)

Their series Red Roses and Dead Things consistently gut punches me.

Just like Princeliest, they are also fantastic at balancing on that razor's edge with Alastor. A+ characterization for everyone and I love how they write HuskerDust. It's so soft, especially in the aftermath fic for Learn that Even Death May Die called If My Love Is Tomorrow, I've Forgotten Yesterday (that fic hurt in the best way).

The way they explore the aftermath of Learn that Even Death May Die is incredibly impactful. They capture the unique grief that comes from the reality that there are some things you won't get closure for so well that it's painful.

I can't say enough good things about their series. Genuinely go read it.

I found @lediz-watches (ao3 link) before the first season of Hazbin Hotel dropped (I've been a fan of the hellaverse for a few years now and have been enthralled with the Hazbin Hotel pilot since I first watched it in 2020) and I really enjoy their fics.

My favorite is Suffering Kindness. I love the Charlie and Alastor dynamic they explore in this story. I think I'm just a sucker for the Charlie and Alastor dynamic in general, but this fic hits all the right notes for me. (written pre-season 1 but man is it good. 100% recommend)

LeDiz also has a lot of one-shots/collections of one-shots that are very fun.

The Cure for Inexorable Boredom

Dollface (one-shots about Alastor theories. My favorite is the 3rd one. So fascinating!)

Choice Words (one of the few explorations of Alastor and Vaggie's dynamic that I've found in the fandom)

Don't Say It

I have to shout out @ckret2 (ao3 link) and their phenomenal fic You’ve Got a Face for Radio. This is such an amazing aroace!Alastor fic. (Embarrassingly it was this fic that made me realize I was most likely aroace myself. I’d had fleeting moments of suspecting it but it wasn’t until I saw my experiences laid out in a character explicitly written to be aroace that I put the puzzle pieces together. -_- some of these passages were too relatable.) I cannot express how much I love this fic.

I also like their fics Dumpster Baby and Bitter Grapes.

I have one last writer I want to mention because this is getting really long (whoops). The last one is tiredoflofteranditsshit and their Assume He Has a Heart series (because my favorite character and how I interpret them was not obvious enough already with the fics/authors I've recommended. I had to make it more obvious).

These fics are massive (17k and 26k words) and so much fun. Definitely worth the read. Yet another series that follows up season 1 and explores Alastor’s growing connections and how he lies to himself and pushes against it. Love this series and there’s a lot to sink your teeth into :D

#hazbin hotel #Hazbin hotel fics #alastor #hazbin hotel alastor #the radio demon #angel dust #husk #huskerdust #charlie morningstar #I love all of these fics #these writers are all so talented

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cringefailvox · 4 months ago

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overlord husk aus are very interesting to me in part because they present such a radically different vision of the huskerdust dynamic that is very compelling to me. present-day husk and angel are exhausted. these are people genuinely at rock bottom, who have been so worn down and chipped away at by the long, dragging stalemate of their circumstances that they have nothing left to give but their bare minimum selves. which is okay, and it's enough for them; a lot of what makes their dynamic so interesting is that it's about two people at their lowest rediscovering what it feels like to not be alone down there, to even begin thinking about the possibility of climbing out of the deep dark hole they've made their peace with now that they won't be doing it by themselves.

in contrast, overlord husk aus imagine a version of husk and angel before they were losers together. they imagine versions of them that haven't been beaten down all the way just yet: husk at the height of his greed and power and reckless addictions, angel riding the high of his stardom while adamantly refusing to peel back the surface and acknowledge the rot. both of them still digging the hole and saying to themselves, "i've got a ladder, i'm not going to get stuck. i can always climb back out."

and having these two meet at this stage in their lives, i think they would really, really not make each other better. husk's consideration for the souls on his chain had to have been close to zero for him to use them as gambling chips the way he did, especially the recklessly self-destructive way he did that ended with his own soul in alastor's pocket. and i imagine that for a long time, angel lived in total willful denial about val's escalating abuse and the toll his increasingly demanding job was taking on him, because acknowledging it would be tantamount to making it real, making it something that could actually hurt him and not just be rationalized away, and so of course he'd put off doing that for as long as he could.

if husk had actually won angel's soul, it wouldn't have been any different from all the other people he traded back and forth across his table just for the illicit thrill of the game. angel probably would've had a whole sunk-cost freakout about it (what was the point of all that pain and suffering and lack of autonomy if all the consequences are coming from a stranger now and not val? when it isn't personal? and now he can't even claim a little bit of power back by saying he chose it, because he didn't.) angel knows full well what it looks like when someone is going to kill themselves with their addictions, but what obligation does he have to the guy who would just as quick give him up to somebody else if it gave him an adrenaline rush? nothing, that's what, and he has enough of his own problems anyway.

crucially, they're both INCREDIBLY self-absorbed. not even in a conceited or vain way, but just in that they're so wrapped up in their own mess that they can't see beyond it, they don't have any space for empathy, and furthermore, they have no reason to even try.

it's why the version of their dynamic we get in canon works so well—they're in the same place now, at just the right time to finally start opening up their worlds to how they affect other people (angel watching charlie interact with val at the studio; husk being forced by alastor to engage with the hotel's residents as the bartender). there's space for empathy in their lives now, because they've finally been brought so low that they can't hide anymore, can't look away, can't deny how completely and totally fucked they are. it's a kind of brutal honesty that can only really come from confronting your absolute worst-case scenario. but for them to even begin connecting with each other in any authentic sense, they needed to have the ladder taken away so they could finally bring themselves to stop digging, look up, and realize there's been someone down here with them all along.

#g-d i hope this isn't incoherent i've just been Thinking abt them so much #maybe one day i'll write an overlord husk au.... or smthn similar like an alternate timelines fic where they realize this current iteration #of themselves is actually the best one #huskerdust #angel dust #husk #hazbin hotel #husker

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fics-and-quotes-andthelike · 2 months ago

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Demon on a Leash

Title: Demon on a Leash

Pairing: Alastor x reader

Word Count: ~6,069

In which Alastor and the reader find themselves on opposing sides of a battle. A separate fight brings one of Alastor’s secrets into the light.

A/N: Part 5 of the Never and Always series! This is the start of lots more angst and drama🤭

(So sorry for taking so long to update, but thank you to everyone who has been so patient and supportive!)

Warnings: mentions of g*ns and de*th, angst, fluff

Your breath came in frantic puffs as you ran through the hotel halls, holding a gun in your hands. You could hear footsteps advancing behind you, but you didn’t dare slow yourself down by risking a glance over your shoulder.

You rounded a corner and ran headfirst into Angel Dust, who reached out with two of his arms to steady you. His other pair of hands held his own gun.

“Careful, dollface,” he said as you found your footing.

You barely paused, grabbing one of his hands and rushing forward, dragging him behind you.

He asked no questions, running after you as soon as he saw the look on your face.

You released him and kept moving, listening as the noises following you grew ever nearer. Adrenaline propelled the two of you forward, allowing you to run down hallway after hallway, rounding corners with enough speed to send you careening into walls before you pushed off and ran faster than before.

After an agonizing few minutes, the sound of the footsteps chasing after you began to fade. You turned down another hall, pounding your legs until you reached your room, reaching back and grabbing Angel’s arm, pulling him in behind you. You shut your door and locked it, pressing your back to the wood and facing your friend.

Angel was hunched over, resting two hands on his knees and gulping down air as fast as he could.

You weren’t doing much better, allowing your door to hold you up as you caught your breath.

After a moment, Angel straightened again, his eyes desperate as he looked over at you. His fingers tightened on his weapon as he spoke. “Vaggie and Husk are down,” he said, voice unsteady. “I got Charlie downstairs, but-” he cut himself off, looking down with fists clenched. “I couldn’t find Niffty.”

“It’s okay,” you said, moving from your place and reaching out, taking Angel’s free hands in yours. “We’re going to be okay.”

Angel looked back at you, his expression hardening as he nodded, looking around your room. “We can’t stay here,” he said firmly. “We gotta find a way out.”

Knock knock.

The two of you whirled towards your door.

You looked back at Angel with panic in your eyes. “You have to go,” you said, releasing his hand and pushing him towards your window.

“I ain’t leaving you here,” Angel protested, reaching out and gripping your shoulders.

Knock knock knock.

“Angel, go,” you whispered fiercely, pushing him away. “I can stall him. Niffty’s still standing, right?”

The spider demon nodded, his eyes trained on your door.

“Go get her,” you ordered, pushing him closer to the window.

“He won’t let you go,” Angel said, gripping you tighter. “He’ll get you the way he got Vaggie and Husk. I can’t leave you here alone, babes.”

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

“I’ll be fine,” you said, forcing a smile on your face. “Please, Angel. Find Niffty and finish this. Run, now.”

Angel yanked you forward, pressing a kiss to your temple before letting you go. “Be careful,” he demanded before he ran to your window, throwing it open and climbing out before closing it tightly behind him and using your balcony to propel himself forward.

You didn’t get to make sure he was okay.

Your door opened with a bang. You spun around, raising your gun and aiming it towards the newcomer with wide eyes.

Shadows seemed to pool into your room, growing and reshaping themselves until they took the form of one of the most terrifying entities in Pentagram City.

“Alastor,” you breathed, cursing the way a shiver ran up your spine.

Your hands were steady, aiming the gun at the Overlord as he gazed down at you from your doorway.

But your silent threat did nothing to stop him.

The Radio Demon only grinned down at you, his eyes narrowing as he began to glance around the room. “I do believe,” he said smoothly. “That our dear friend Angel Dust entered your room with you.” He looked back at you, his smile sharp. “Did he not?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you said quietly, not lowering your weapon.

Alastor’s smile softened. He took a step towards you, but it only caused you to clamber back, not looking away from your target.

“Don’t come any closer, Al,” you warned. “I might not be as good with guns as Angel, but you’re in close range. I’ll shoot, and I won’t miss.”

But your words did nothing to stop him. He only stepped closer, eyes glittering when you finally stood your ground, gun in hand and aimed at his chest.

You hated this. Everything about it felt wrong. You should never have been aiming a gun at the man who had protected you since the day you met. You should never have been backing away from the demon who you had promised to stay beside forever.

You swore as Alastor took another step, and another, until he was only a mere feet away from the barrel of the gun.

“Go on, my dear,” he coaxed, not moving to defend or attack. “Finish what you’ve started.”

Your finger tightened around the trigger. You had to do this. Angel was depending on you. You couldn’t let him down.

“I’m sorry,” you gasped.

Alastor’s eyes widened as you pulled the trigger.

You heard the impact. You saw the surprise on Alastor’s face. You witnessed the splattering of red against his coat.

You blinked, your breath leaving you all at once. You dropped the gun onto your carpet and stepped forward, towards the Overlord. Your hand hovered over the stain on his chest. You winced, surveying the damage. “Is that going to come out?”

Alastor followed your gaze, his eyes falling to the front of his coat. He held out his staff to you, allowing you to take it as he walked over to your mirror, letting out a sigh when he saw the full effects of the paintball.

You bit your lip in worry. “It’s not coming out, is it?”

Alastor waved his hand dismissively, turning back towards you. “No matter, my dear. I’m sure Niffty will have a wonderful time busying herself with the task.”

You grinned as he reached you, tilting your head up so you could look him in the eye. “You didn’t think I’d do it, did you?” you teased.

“I have to say, my dear,” Alastor admitted. “I didn’t quite expect you to give in so easily.”

You shrugged, your eyes dancing with laughter. “All is fair in love and Charlie’s team bonding exercises.”

“Quite right,” Alastor agreed, his gaze gentle. He swept into a deep bow, grasping your free hand with one of his and pressing it to his lips. “I have no trouble admitting defeat, mon cher.” He stood upright, though he kept your hand in his. “You made quite an impressive adversary.”

You shrugged, handing back his staff. “Only because you let me win.”

“Nonsense,” Alastor said as he took his staff and pulled you closer, pressing a light kiss to your temple. “A victory is a victory, my dear.”

You hummed in agreement, looking up at him with fond regret. “I have to help Angel get Niffty now. She’s good at hiding on the ceilings, and we’re the only two left.”

“I’m quite aware of the status of your team, mon coeur,” Alastor said as his smile widened. “I was responsible for their demise, after all.”

“Of course you were,” you said with an eye roll, pulling your hand away from the Overlord. “I’ll meet you back in the lobby so Charlie can give us her ‘well done’ speech,” you called over your shoulder as you headed for the door.

A shadow swam through the air and stopped in front of you with a gleeful expression on its face. It moved towards you, reaching out and cupping your face in its hands.

“Angel Dust is quite capable of handling himself,” Alastor said from behind you. “I’m certain he wouldn’t miss you for another few moments.”

You tilted your head, leaning into the shadow’s touch as it came closer, pressing its forehead to yours.

Alastor’s footsteps sounded on your floor as he drew nearer, his clawed hands coming to rest gently on your upper arms. “I would enjoy your company, if you chose to stay,” he murmured as his hands began to rub against your skin.

You released a shaky breath, allowing your body to relax into his touch before your brain finally caught up to the situation. “How forward of you,” you said dryly. You stepped away from both the Radio Demon and his shadow, and moved once again towards your door. “And you almost distracted me, too,” you said as you left the room.

“Until we meet again, my dear,” you heard Alastor respond as you walked.

You rolled your eyes once again, trying to suppress the smile that pulled at the corners of your lips.

The interaction would have seemed odd to anyone else, you knew. Alastor wasn’t the ‘touchy’ type, and any form of flirtation or even general playfulness was a rare sight indeed. But after your incident with Mimzy, your relationship with the Overlord had once again changed for the better.

Where you would once have been cautious about overstepping boundaries, you now grew more confident around your friend. Where he had only ever asked his shadow to deliver his affections, he now acted on his own, kissing your cheek and brushing your hands together when no one was around.

It was far from perfect, you knew, and it wasn’t exactly what you wanted in terms of a relationship with Alastor. But you knew him well enough by now to know that the two of you were making slow progress and growing closer than ever before.

“I’ll see you in a few minutes,” you said over your shoulder. “When I find Niffty and we destroy you.”

You made your way to the hotel stairway, finally allowing yourself to smile as Alastor’s laugh followed you down.

~~~

“You all did great!” Charlie said, stars in her eyes as she applauded the hotel’s residents.

She, Vaggie, Husk, Alastor, and Niffty had changed out of their paint splattered clothes, and were sitting on the hotel couches. You and Angel sat to the side, victorious, with smug grins on your faces.

“I hope we all learned about the importance of teamwork,” the Princess continued. “Congratulations to Angel’s team for their victory, and thank you for showing us all that trust can take us a long way!”

“No problem, toots,” Angel said, giving her a wink and holding out his fist to you.

“Our pleasure,” you agreed, pounding his fist with yours.

Vaggie stepped forward, clapping her hands together. “I think we’ve all had enough for now, so let’s call it a day.”

“Good riddance,” Husk muttered as he stood, shaking out his limbs.

You stood as well and held out a hand, helping Angel to his feet. “Pleasure doing business with you,” you said as you gave his hand a firm shake.

“Anytime, babes,” Angel said with a smirk before he turned, wrapping an arm around Husk’s shoulders and leading him to the hotel doors.

Charlie and Vaggie followed suit, intertwining their fingers as Niffty scrambled ahead.

You and Alastor, however, hadn’t moved. “Where are you all going?” you called, placing your hands on your hips.

“Vaggie and I have a date,” Charlie said cheerfully, not stopping as she gave you a wave and headed out the door.

“Husk and I a’ gonna meet Cherri at a bar,” Angel said as Niffty raced out the door. “We’re bringin’ Niffty.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Why are you taking Niffty?”

Angel wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “So you and Smiles can be alone tonight.”

You felt your cheeks flush in embarrassment as you looked away. “Shut up,” you muttered.

“Have fun, kids,” Angel said with a wave. “Don’t do anything Husk wouldn’t do.”

“Get out,” you hissed.

The door closed behind them with a soft click.

You released a slow breath. You hadn’t expected to be left alone at the hotel with the Overlord, which was most likely the idea when the other hotel members had planned their outing, but you weren’t complaining. Not that anything extraordinary would suddenly happen between the two of you, of course, but perhaps Alastor would be able to let his guard down more easily with the rest of the hotel residents gone.

You looked over at Alastor, offering him a small smile. “I don’t suppose you’d want to go out with me tonight, would you?”

The Overlord rolled his eyes, making a face as he looked back at you. “We don’t seem to have much luck with our outings, my dear.”

You grinned. “You mean you don’t want to go back to Mimzy’s bar? Maybe we can even stop by one of the Vee's clubs.”

“Don’t threaten me, mon chérie,” Alastor said, his eyes flashing.

You laughed lightly. “I’m only joking, Al. I have no interest in going back to Vox’s tower.”

Alastor’s shadow made a face of disgust from his place behind his owner as he spoke. “Wonderful! Something we can both agree on.”

You hummed in agreement and looked back towards the closed doors of the hotel. “We can have a few drinks here, then. No angry demons, no crowds, no craziness.” You looked back at the Overlord and smiled. “Just you, me, and one of the bottles that Husk hides from Angel behind the bar. What do you say?”

Alastor’s shadow grinned widely, swiftly making its way towards the bar to find one of Husk’s secret bottles.

You laughed at its enthusiasm as the Radio Demon himself smiled down at you, walking forward and reaching out his hand. “What a splendid idea, my dear.”

You reached out as well, trying to push down the growing warmth in your chest as your hands brushed. You had just intertwined your fingers with his when the doors to the hotel burst open.

You both pulled back instinctively.

Alastor took a step forward, shielding you as his antlers began to grow. His shadow abandoned his spot at the bar and materialized in front of you, pushing you further back as it, too, grew in size.

Your heart pounded as questions swirled in your mind. What was happening? Who would dare barge into the hotel? Especially when Alastor and Charlie were there to defend it.

But Charlie isn’t here, whispered a voice in the back of your mind.

Panic seized your chest. Alastor could handle himself, but it would have given you peace of mind to know that the princess of Hell herself was standing at his side.

You watched from behind Alastor’s shadow as the figure stepped forward and revealed himself to both you and Alastor.

You blinked in surprise. “Lucifer?”

Charlie’s father took another step towards you, glancing around before his eyes settled on Alastor. The King of Hell grimaced and waved a hand dismissively. “No need for dramatics, it’s just me.”

You winced. You hadn’t been around to witness the first time that Lucifer and Alastor had an altercation, but from what you’d heard, it was important to keep them away from each other at all times. Or at the very least, make sure that one didn’t strike a nerve in the other.

Alastor and his shadow shrunk down to their normal size once more. “May we offer you assistance?” Alastor drawled sarcastically, one hand tightly gripping his staff while the other was clenched into a fist behind his back.

The look of disgust had yet to leave Lucifer’s face. “I’m just looking for my daughter,” he responded.

“She just left,” you said, finally speaking up. You stepped forward, your gaze weary as you placed yourself in between the two beings. “She said she had a date with Vaggie, and Husk and Angel took Nifty out for some drinks.”

Lucifer hardly glanced over at you as you spoke. “Oh, wonderful,” he said, rolling his eyes. “They left me alone with the bellhop and his lover.”

Alastor bared his teeth dangerously. “I’d be careful to mind my tongue,” he bit out. “We wouldn’t want Charlie to hear about how horribly you’ve treated her newest guest.”

Lucifer’s eyes narrowed. “Is that a threat? Are you threatening me right now?”

“Of course not-” you started.

“Whyever would I threaten you?” Alastor asked in mock concern. “Certainly your relationship with Charlie is strong enough to withstand whatever I may say.” His eyes flashed. “Unless your years of neglect have finally driven her away.”

“He didn’t mean that,” you said weakly.

Neither one of them paid you any heed. “How dare you,” Lucifer spat as his eyes turned red. You watched in growing horror as Lucifer’s wings spread from his back and his horns grew from his head.

You turned to face Alastor when you heard his bones cracking. His eyes turned into radio dials and antlers sprouted from his head. He grew until he towered over you, stitches littering his body as his shadow followed his lead.

You gasped and stumbled back quickly, finding a safe space on the other side of the room. You had no interest in ending up in the middle of an Alastor versus Lucifer battle, especially when you knew that they would never do any permanent damage if they didn’t want to face Charlie afterwards.

You flinched as Lucifer landed the first blow, looking away so you wouldn’t be tempted to intervene. You leaned against the wall, hugging yourself tightly as you listened to the fight rage on. You would probably be spending the rest of the night cleaning up Alastor’s wounds, if he let you. Not that you minded.

You closed your eyes and leaned your head against the wall. It seemed that the two of you could never spend a peaceful night together. You had tried going out, and it had only resulted in trauma and threats. You had tried staying in, and now Alastor was fighting with the literal king of Hell.

You couldn’t help the guilt and nervousness that pooled in the pit of your stomach. Maybe the two of you just weren’t meant to be alone together. Or maybe you weren’t meant to be together at all.

A loud crash yanked you from your thoughts. Your eyes snapped open and your head whirled around as you tried to determine the source. Lucifer and Alastor were still fighting, but Husk’s bar was suddenly missing its stools and half of its counter.

You grimaced. You were probably going to be the one to explain that.

Another noise drew a gasp from your lips when you saw Alastor get knocked down onto the hotel’s staircase.

You moved away from the wall with every intention to get in between the two men and stop their petty fight. You wanted some alone time with Alastor, but you wanted him to be conscious when it happened, for Hell’s sake.

But just as you took a step towards them, Alastor’s gaze met yours. You stopped in your tracks. Instead of Alastor’s eyes staring back at you, filled with kindness or amusement or even exasperation, you were met with two radio dials that gave you no sense of what he might be feeling.

You hated it.

That wasn’t the Alastor that you had grown to care about. The one who had allowed you to open up and had even begun to open up in return. The one who had been so careful to defend you while also keeping a close distance.

But he was still Alastor.

You took another step, but were stopped again when Alastor shook his head at you. Only once, subtly. But you understood.

You stayed where you were.

Lucifer didn’t notice your exchange. His wings held him aloft as he hovered over the Radio Demon. “Had enough?” he asked from above.

“Hardly,” the Overlord seethed before he swung his cane, knocking Lucifer out of the air and into the wall opposite you.

That should’ve been enough. To knock the King of Hell out of the air was a feat that not many others would be able to lay claim to. But of course, Alastor needed more. He needed to make this hurt. “I can’t imagine why you were ever thrown down from above,” he said with false cheer as he stood. “Perhaps for the very same reason your wife and daughter left you.”

Your eyes widened. “Al, dont!” you shouted desperately.

He ignored you. “But I’m sure you have your own theories, your majesty,” he sang as his eyes narrowed in on the fallen king.

But Lucifer didn’t stay down for long. His wings carried him above Alastor once more. “You know nothing,” he snarled before rushing forward and wrapping his hand around Alastor’s throat, driving the Radio Demon into the ground.

You pressed your hands to your mouth, letting out a strangled sound of helplessness as you watched. You surged forward, ready to place yourself in between them when Alastor’s shadow suddenly materialized in front of you, blocking your path.

“No,” you gasped. “Let me get to him, please.”

The shadow reached forward, engulfing you in its arms and holding you in place as you struggled to reach its owner before it was too late. You had to protect him. You had to help him. But you couldn’t get to him. And you hated him for it.

Don’t kill him, you whispered to yourself desperately as you looked over at Lucifer. Please, please, don’t kill him.

But Alastor, to his credit, seemed unbothered. “We both know you can’t harm me,” he said, his smile bloody and sharp, his voice strangled and hoarse. “Charlie would never let you hear the end of it.”

Lucifer’s eyes lost their fury. His grip on Alastor lessened.

You gasped and slumped against the shadow in relief.

He’s okay, the voice inside of you whispered. He’s okay.

Alastor chuckled. “She has you wrapped around her little finger, doesn’t she?” he asked, his voice regaining its previous strength.

“Not another word about my daughter,” Lucifer threatened. “And while you’re at it, stop picking fights that you can’t win. We both know you’re not invincible. Especially with that leash around your neck.”

Alastor’s smile froze, his eyes becoming his own again.

His shadow tensed, its arms still wrapped around you.

Your undead heart felt like it had stopped beating all over again. A leash? On Alastor?

You reached up and grasped one of the shadow’s hands with your own. The shadow reciprocated, squeezing your fingers as it held you.

Alastor seemed to snap back to reality, his smile stretching unnaturally as he reached up towards Lucifer once more.

Your eyes widened in fear. You wrenched yourself free of the shadow’s grip, running forward. “Alastor, stop!” you cried out. “That’s enough. Both of you.”

You stopped a safe distance away, careful to keep some space between yourself and the powerful beings in front of you. “You’re going to destroy the hotel if you keep this up,” you continued, trying to keep your voice steady. “And I’m not going to be the one to explain that to Charlie, so unless you plan on working together to rebuild this mess once you’re done, you have to stop.”

Silence. Thick, heavy silence.

You waited, holding your breath and not daring to speak again.

Then, for the first time since he had arrived, Lucifer looked directly at you. You almost recoiled at the sight of the anger and disdain in his eyes.

“Why do you always defend him?” he asked. “Do you realize what he’s done to Charlie’s friends? Your friends?” The king laughed incredulously, almost speaking to himself now as he flew down to the ground in front of you and ran a hand through his hair. “He’s an overlord, for Hell’s sake. Do you know what Angel Dust and Husk would give to distance themselves from Overlords forever?”

You felt a swirl of guilt in your gut.

Of course you knew. How could you not? Husk and Angel were two of your closest companions, and you witnessed the aftermath of Angel’s horrible experiences every day, while also hearing the stories about what Alastor did to Husk and the other souls that he owned.

But you had decided to stand by Alastor, no matter what you heard, because he chose to stand by you as well. And that would never change. You would stand by him as long as he would have you. Even if it trapped you and your friends in an endless cycle of breaking each other's hearts.

You planted your feet and lifted your head up high as you faced the King of Hell. “I know who he is,” you said, careful to speak as clearly as possible. “And I know what he’s done. But Angel and Husk haven’t pulled me away from him yet, and neither will you.”

Your gaze was suddenly averted by Alastor reverting to his regular demon form and pushing himself up into a standing position.

“No matter what he does, I’ll be here,” you continued, looking back at Lucifer with a new fire in your eyes. “Always.”

Lucifer sighed and dropped his hands to his sides, seemingly deciding that your argument wasn’t worth having. He looked over at Alastor, his lips curling into a snarl before looking around the room. “I’d better fix this up before Charlie gets home.”

You hummed in agreement, your body relaxing and your heart slowing. “Can I help?”

Lucifer glanced over at you, a flicker of sadness in his gaze before he looked away once more.“I’ll get this done. You two can run off, if you want.”

You tried to ignore the hurt in your chest as you nodded once and turned towards Alastor.

He was already looking back at you, eyes wandering over your form as if you could have somehow sustained an injury from across the room.

You smiled, walking forward and eyeing the tears in his suit and the cuts on his body. “Let’s go get you cleaned up,” you murmured. You walked towards the stairs, careful to step around the new crater in the middle of them as you went up to your room. You didn’t have to look back to make sure that Alastor was following. You knew that he would.

BANG.

You whirled around on the steps, seeing Alastor and Lucifer do the same.

The doors to the hotel flung open as Charlie and the other residents walked in.

“We’re back!” Charlie called. “I know we just left, but you’ll never believe-”

She froze as she took in the sight of the hotel lobby in ruins.

“Holy shit,” Angel chuckled as he walked forward, putting his hands on his hips. “Guess ya really enjoy each otha’s company, huh toots?”

“What happened here?” Vaggie asked, her eyes wide in disbelief.

You flushed red and turned to face Lucifer, hoping against hope that he would be the one to fill his daughter in on the day’s nonsense.

But Charlie was also staring at him, and he was staring at her, and he looked so pitiful under her gaze that you just couldn’t help yourself. You ignored Alastor’s warning gaze and walked back downstairs.

Charlie’s gaze moved to you, along with the eyes of every other person in the room.

You grinned sheepishly. “Welcome back.” You gestured to the only couch that had survived the carnage. “Why don’t you take a seat while Al and Lucifer clean this up?

I’ll explain everything.”

~~~

You rummaged through the medical kit in your bathroom. Luckily, you hadn’t used it very much during your stay at the hotel. But it seemed reasonable, since you were sharing a house with the king and princess of hell, an overlord, and an ex-exterminator, that you should have supplies on hand in case something went awry.

You pulled out a roll of bandages and walked out of the bathroom and into your bedroom, where Alastor was waiting.

He was sitting on the edge of your bed, pulling off his coat and letting it fall in a heap on the floor.

You stopped at the door for a moment to watch. If someone had told you when you first got down here that you would become so close with the most terrifying soul in Pentagram City, you would have laughed in their face. And yet, here you were, both of you ready and willing to bring down the walls that you had built around each other, just for a moment.

You stepped forward carefully, avoiding Alastor’s eyes as he finally looked back up at you. “You need to take your shirt off,” you said bluntly, avoiding his gaze. “Or this isn’t really going to work.”

You were met with silence.

There were two options. One, pretend you hadn’t spoken at all and ignore the fact that Alastor was injured and in need of assistance, or two, look up and face the consequences of your bold request.

With your heart pounding in your chest, you glanced up… to see that Alastor’s gaze was already firmly on you.

He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head, looking up at you blankly.

The two of you stared at each other for a moment, the silence building.

If you hadn’t come to know him as well as you did, you might have assumed that he was angry or offended. But you noticed the light crinkling in the corners of his eyes, and the way that his body was relaxed, and the way that his shadow was smiling at you widely from its place behind Alastor.

Your nervousness dissipated as you smiled, laughing lightly. “Don’t make it weird,” you finally said as you sat beside him, looking down to unwind the bandages.

Alastor’s expression turned gentle. He began to remove his shirt, the both of you watching each other from the corners of your eyes.

You didn’t want to say anything to ruin this moment. The Radio Demon was finally putting his trust in you, after all. All this time, you had been trying to build your relationship with him. Trying to become someone he could depend on. Trying to be more than just another one of his souls. This was exactly what you had wanted.

Alastor, for his part, was considerably more bemused than you were. Here he was, undressing and revealing himself to you. He was at your mercy. And yet, he wasn’t afraid, or cautious, or even preparing to turn the tables back around to favor himself. It was an odd feeling, this trust that he had in you. He’d never experienced it before. He’d have to ask Rosie what it all meant when he next saw her.

You finally finished unwinding the bandages, looking up and smiling lightly as you tried to hide your flushed cheeks when you saw that Alastor’s top was bare.

He reached his arm out towards you, allowing you to gently start wrapping it.

“I can’t believe you decided to pick a fight with the King of Hell,” you teased as you worked, stealing a glance up at him.

Alastor grinned down at you, his gaze nonchalant. “It was hardly a fight, my dear,” he said as he waved his hand dismissively. “I had everything under control.”

You scoffed under your breath. “I’m sure you did.”

Alastor’s shadow reared back in offense as its owner himself glared down at you playfully.

You laughed and held up one hand in surrender before going back to work. “I’m just saying, maybe you should work on your self-preservation skills. I don’t know what I’d do if you had died again. I’d never forgive myself.”

It was just meant to be a passing comment. Nothing to take too seriously. But you really should have known better.

You looked up to see that Alastor and his shadow were frozen, both staring back at you.

Had you said something wrong? Had you ruined the moment that you had been so cautious to protect?

You swallowed, your hands still tight on the bandages. “Not that you’re not capable, of course,” you said in a desperate attempt to fix whatever you had done wrong.

Alastor’s shadow seemed to snap back to reality. It took a cautious step forward, watching your reaction as it slowly made its way to your side.

You tracked its movements with your gaze as it sat down on your other side. It leaned forward, pressing its forehead against yours as it reached out and grasped your hands.

You released the bandages and allowed the shadow to lean into you. You exhaled slowly, savoring the sensation.

“If anything were ever to harm me,” Alastor’s voice said from behind you. “Then you are to continue living your afterlife as you so choose.”

You tried to turn and look him in the eye, but his shadow reached up quickly and placed its hands on either side of your face, cradling your cheeks gently.

“You’re not going to die, Al,” you said, unable to stop the desperation from creeping into your voice.

“It’s unlikely that anyone carries enough power to truly harm me,” Alastor agreed. “But if Charlie’s dreadful father has anything to say about it –”

“You’re not going to die,” you repeated firmly, gripping the shadow’s hands and pulling them off of your face so that you could face Alastor once again. You reached out and placed your hands on either side of his face, mimicking what his shadow had done to you only moments before. “I won’t let you.”

Alastor was still for a moment, his eyes focused on yours, before he leaned into your touch. He brought one of his hands up and placed it on yours, and his other hand wandered over to cradle the back of your neck. “I don’t intend to die a second death,” he promised.

You exhaled shakily. “Good,” you said, your grip on him tightening.

He turned his head and kissed your palm lightly before looking back at you. “I do mean it, mon chere,” he said, paraphrasing your response to him that fateful day. “I’ll stay with you, if you’ll have me.”

You laughed tearfully as you recognized the words that you had once said to him, when Mimzy had declared war on the Radio Demon by coming after you.

A surge of courage overcame you. You pulled Alastor forward and threw your arms around his neck, holding him close.

Alastor followed your lead, his own arms wrapping around you as he pulled you even closer.

You would have loved to stay that way forever. Safe in his arms as you held him and shielded him from the demons that would have loved nothing more than to see him brought to his knees. But you felt Alastor tense as you squeezed him, reminding you of the injuries he had sustained.

You pulled back, wiping your eyes and clearing your throat as you carefully grabbed Alastor’s arm and pulled it towards you once again. Your hands took hold of the bandages and you began your work once more.

Alastor’s shadow rested its head against your back as you moved.

You smiled at the feeling.

“I intend to remain in power for a long while,” Alastor said, the static in his voice light.

You nodded in acknowledgment.

“I do hope you haven’t finally started to doubt me, my dear,” Alastor said, his voice more gentle than you had ever heard it.

You looked up. “No,” you murmured softly, a smile on your lips. “Never.”

A comfortable silence fell as you looked down and continued to wrap the bandages around Alastor’s arm.

You wished that you could stay in this moment forever. Not that you were a fan of the Radio Demon picking fights, of course, but this was almost nice. Maybe the two of you really could enjoy peaceful moments alone.

You tied off the bandage as you finished your work. You looked up to see Alastor gazing down at you with an expression that you had never seen on him before.

You tried to savor the moment.

But you knew it couldn’t last.

“Al?” you said quietly, keeping your eyes on him.

You watched as he tilted his head inquisitively.

“What did Lucifer mean when he said you had a leash around your neck?”

A/N: I hope you guys liked it! Let me know if you want to be tagged in the following parts!

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