#inside of every demon [ charlie ic ]

[youcouldbeit]

@kakodaimones wanted a starter!

"So, I'm very glad you agreed to allow me to come see you; I know you're a very busy person."

She was rifling through some papers she'd brought, looking about as nervous as someone who didn't entirely think through their plan would. Charlie wanted to get news of the Hotel out there now, especially after the latest events, and whilst Alastor was a fine source of that publicity in and of himself; getting the both of them on her side would surely make it appear that the Hotel had more credibility than ever.

If, well, she could pull this off without stepping on any toes. As impossible as it sounded.

"S-So, I assume you have at least heard of the hotel, right? Please?"

[radicheart-a]

Are You Sizing Me Up, bro!? Niffty is 3'10, Charlie is 6'2, and Vaggie is 5'3!

Send "Are You Sizing Me Up, bro!?" and the measurements of your muse and I will compare their height with mine using this chart

"They're all perfect!"

[youcouldbeit]

Charlie is, at least, relieved that her message was received without any retort. She would have hated to have to back that sort of thing up right away, but it wasn't something she regretted saying, either. Seeing what Valentino did to Angel just to prove that he could? That wasn't something Charlie was going to forget anytime soon, and it wasn't something she was going to let ever happen in her own damn Hotel.

"Happy to hear!" There's that damned familiar sound of pommel striking floor, as Charlie waits for him to go. "I'll give it a lookover after today's activities and get back to you. I hope you have a fulfilling day, Vox, and a pleasure doing business with you, as always. Toodles!"

It's so hard to tell if she's doing it on purpose or not. Truthfully, Charlie really couldn't tell you herself what parts are intentional parroting and what's actually stuck.

That silence is a heavy weight that Vox can only wait to be lifted. The smile starts to unnerve it even before Charlie finally gives their response, and red eyes involuntarily widen as he realizes there's not a hint of uncertainty in those words.

The overlord blinks, feet shuffling slightly as he bring a closed fist up to his mouth and gives an ahem. No true form needed, the message is loud and clear. If anything they're grateful she's as accommodating as he is. "R-right. Of course. I'll keep him on a tight leash."

For Val's sake as much as his own. Claws fumble to adjust his bowtie and suit jacket, fidgeting with his clothes for his own comfort as he prepares to leave. Not exactly leaving on a strong note, but he can still work with this. "I'll uh, forward you my schedule and we can coordinate from there."

[peachi-blossom]

My thoughts on Hazbin Hotel as a non HH fan

Originally, I was just here to watch people criticizing Hazbin Hotel. But when the recent controversies came in, I feel like I have to step into the fandom rabbit hole.

As a non Hazbin Hotel fan, I've watched the pilot, read the prequel comics, watched the ADDICT music video, and finally the show itself. (I've watched the show on March 15th.)

NOTE: I didn't watch the show on TV so I watched it on a pirated website instead and read the transcript because no way am I watching this in front of my parents, my siblings, or Grandma. This is my personal opinion on the show.

Pilot: So Hell is basically Earth except it's painted red and inhabited by demons. The background has too much red, but not as bad that it makes my eyes bleed. I don't like how the female characters have the same color scheme except Vaggie and Niffty (pilot only). For example, Charlie, Katie Killjoy, and Cherri Bomb. The only two funny parts of the pilot is when the top hat demon says "Wow! That was s***!" after Charlie sings Inside of Every Demon is a Rainbow and when Angel pokes his head in as Vaggie is giving Alastor a warning. I didn't like the daddy joke. It just sounded bad. Also, why is there a joke about harlequin babies?

Prequel comics that are no longer canon: Basically the prequel comics focuses on Angel Dust and Alastor.

For Dirty Healings, it shows how Angel Dust first met Charlie and Vaggie. I knew that Vaggie's name was named after a uh, you know. Ugh… Why did Vivienne Medrano had to name her that? Also I hate Valentino.

As for A Day In The After Life, it just shows why Alastor is the most feared demon in Hell. Also he swears after seeing Vox.

ADDICT music video: I genuinely have no thoughts on this music video. I think this was just bait for the SA and CSA victims. Sorry for those who like the MV.

Episode 1: This is worse than the pilot. I did NOT like the beginning part. It's biblically inaccurate for multiple reasons, but I feel like a few people only talk about this one thing. Sin didn't exist until Adam and Eve ate the fruit of knowledge of good and evil. Not only that, but it's also misogynistic too because it was just Eve who ate it. What makes it misogynistic is that it implies that all women would have to bear the sins of Eve ALONE. There's rampant swearing and sex jokes. Also, isn't Archangel Michael supposed to be the leader of the Army of God? Anyways I'm siding with the angels.

Episode 2: The red is so bright that it hurts my eyes. It doesn't help the fact that Alastor blends in the background. Oh yeah, when Vox tells Sir Pentious to kill himself, it made me feel sad because it reminded me of the Shay incident. The time when the stans drove Shay to kill themself because they were uncomfortable with the large age gap of HuskerDust.

Episode 3: Why? Why is there a BDSM sex dungeon?! I know that was Angel's idea, but still. Why?! I seriously have no words. When Zestial says "What troubles thou?" I was like "Huh?". It should be "What troubles thee?". I think his Old English has grammatical errors. The Egg Boiz, Carmilla, and Zestial are bearable because they never said a swear word. Off topic, but Velvette's swirl streaks on her hair makes me think of a swirl ice cream.

Episode 4: Before the show came out, I saw SlayQueenArt's post on Twitter (X) that says Vivienne Medrano hired Raphielle II, aka R2ninjaturtle, who has a rape fetish and isn't a SA victim. As someone who is formerly addicted to porn, this episode is insulting on so many levels. I didn't watch the whole Poison sequence because of that. And don't get me started on Loser Baby. I hate this song so much. It felt like it is blaming on SA and CSA victims for being SA'd. Like it is blaming me for being addicted to porn on and off when I was EIGHT. I know there are some victims who like episode 4 so I will leave them alone. I seriously hate how Charlie behaves like a toddler at the end. No grown adult should behave like a toddler like she did because being raped isn't a silly thing to cry over. Like, hello? She is the supposed to be the main character. Oh yeah, there was NO warning for the episode when the show premiered and it triggered the victims who watched it. SA and CSA victims are not losers. Former porn addicts are not losers. Nobody is a loser. I am NOT a loser.

Episode 5: Wow, Vivienne Medrano really turned Lucifer into King George from Veggietales. I guess this is what happens when King George gave in into his obsession with rubber ducks. I didn't like Hell's Greatest Dad because of the unnecessary rivalry between Lucifer and Alastor, but at least Mimzy ended the song. Oh boy, this is where I hate Alastor now. No really, he is Vivienne Medrano's first edgelord oc. He has gone full edgelord and is basically a Bill Cipher wannabe now. His full demon form is not even scary compared to Bill's final form. He no longer stands out from the main cast even if he rarely swears. Mimzy is basically the embodiment of the hooked nose stereotype. Wow, the embodiment of a Jew stereotype. How racist.

Episode 6: That was an absolute slap in the face at SA and CSA victims and me when Sir Pentious got SA'd! Seriously, Vivienne Medrano doesn't even care for the victims at this point! What's worse is that he is based off of her old ex-friend, DollCreep. Why did she whitewashed St. Peter?! I know there are white Jews, but he was born in ancient Israel so I wouldn't think he'll be looking like a white man with blonde hair and blue eyes. How come angels don't know how souls get to Heaven?! We got the Ten Commandments! We got Jesus Christ who took our place to die for our sins so we wouldn't have to bear these sins! Emily and Sera are bearable because you know. I hate how Niffty is being treated like a child when she's NOT. What's worse is that Niffty is supposed to be Japanese because of how people INFANTILIZED Asian people, especially women.

Episode 7: My issue with Out for Love is that when Carmilla tells Vaggie that she should fight for love and not for vengeance. Well, Vaggie always fight for love and never for vengeance. In Whatever it Takes, she literally says that she'll always protect Charlie. Where is the vengeance in that? That is poor character writing. Rosie is basically the blood libel stereotype where the Jews are cannibals. Again, that's just racist against Jews.

Episode 8: I thought the finale was pointless because there were no stakes and Sir Pentious' heroic sacrifice was comically anti-climatic. Like, why did Sir Pentious's so called friends cared about him when they didn't help him at ALL in episode 6?! I'm not a fan of the CherriSnake ship because Cherri only becomes interested in him because he has two "joysticks". Not to mention he kissed her without consent and she thinks it's hot after that. The problem with More Than Anything (Reprise) is that Vaggie reassures Charlie that she changed many lives, but she only changed one. I'm so glad Adam defeated Alastor first. There is absolutely no way Lucifer slept with Eve. Oof for Lute and Adam. You both fought well until the end.

The character designs are awful. Every male character basically looks like The Once-ler from The Lorax 2012 movie except for Adam (I know Alastor doesn't have a top hat, but still gives off the vibes. Zestial is more Burtonesque.). Not to mention they are all skinny twigs except for Adam (I think). The female characters in Hell have the same color scheme except Vaggie (again). For example, Charlie, Katie Killjoy, Mimzy (though her dress is a little darker), Cherri Bomb, and Niffty (show only). They have too much pinks, reds, yellows, whites, and blacks. I love pink, but this is too much. What's worse is that they blend in the background and again it hurts my eyes. There is NO color variety and I feel like my eyes are burning.

That's my thoughts on the show.

[fandomworld9728]

To Breed a Fallen Angel - Chapter 2:

Lucifer was not having a good day. He woke up feeling crappy and drenched in sweat. When was the last time that happened? Not feeling like getting dressed, Lucifer stayed in his favorite duck pajamas before plopping himself down on one of the couches in the sitting area. Not feeling up for whatever breakfast Alastor had cooked for the residents of the hotel, he gave into his odd craving for Earth sweets. Snapping a tub of ice cream and a spoon into existence he started to shovel it into his mouth. 

Mississippi Mud. It was one of his go-to's on days like today. It didn't quite satisfy his craving for something sweet, but it was enough for now. It seemed that he wasn't the only one having a shitty day. His poor baby Charlie was short tempered and on edge. Every plan she wrote ended up in ash on the floor and her cork board was broken to pieces in her frustration. Her demonic form was openly on display showing just how uncontrolled her emotions currently were.

So much so that it was scaring Husk and Niffty. Vaggie on the other hand seemed to be going through the same thing as himself. Sensitive to the point of most things bringing them to tears, wanting things that comfort them. Like their pajamas and foods that aren't really good for your body, but good for boosting your mood. She had sat next to him on the couch huddled in a blanket and her hair pulled up.

Wordlessly, Lucifer made another spoon and offered it to her. That's how the two ended up eating ice cream and crying over movies. Oddly enough, when Alastor had stood in front of the TV to scold the two for wasting the food he spent that morning making, something stopped him and had him fussing over the smaller man. Something at the back of his had was screaming at him that this was wrong, that something was wrong, and he needed to leave.

But something that held a bigger influence over him at the moment was enjoying the attention. Liked how soft the deer demon was being with him and how much he wanted to please him. Especially when Lucifer had mentioned wanting something sweet from Earth but didn't know what, the Overlord eagerly insisted on making him something he learned from his mother back when he was alive. It made something inside Lucifer purr with delight.

"I can't believe she just... betrayed him like that! That bitch!"

"I know. So many years down the drain. I need to stop watching this. It reflects my life too much and it's making me depressed."

He could hear people talking but couldn't really focus on the words. Unless they were said to him it seemed that they sounded muddled. Almost like he was underwater. Were they important? I mean the two were talking about him, his baby, and his future daughter in law so he tried his best to focus on them.

"Don't tell me they scared smiles away."

"Nah. Surprisingly, he's in the kitchen making something sweet on Lucifer's request." Yes, he was. Alastor was being so good to Lucifer. Almost like a... dammit. What was wrong with his brain today? The word was on the tip of his forked tongue.

"What?"

"I have no clue. It's almost like a flip had switched. If I'm being honest... it's difficult for me to stay put. My self-preservation instincts are keeping me from going over there."

Does that mean he was going to have more people fussing over him? Why did he like that thought? He usually hated making people worry about him or take care of him. He couldn't deny the pleasant warmth that came with the thought, however.

"Alright. We gotta figure out what's going on- are those fluffy ears on his head?" 

Oh. There were ears on top of his head now that he thought about it. Not sure what type of ears, Lucifer twitched them to try and get a better idea of what his magic had added to his appearance. The range of motion, shape, size, and his new range and sensitivity of hearing led him to believe they were deer ears. Strange.

Lucifer didn't have a chance to think on it as Alastor, a buck, came in with a plate of something that smelt heavenly. He was a good, strong, buck who fusses over Lucifer and gives him good food. Who was deadly but had a soft touch.

"Here you are, my dear. Freshly made beignets. Enjoy."

Taking the plate, Lucifer popped one in his mouth and was pretty sure he moaned at the taste. These scratched that itch he had been feeling all morning. He was so absorbed in his new treat, that he almost missed the way Alastor and his ears stood up straighter at the noise, a proud smirked on his face as his chest was puffed out. 

"You like them."

"No. I love them."

"Love them enough to give me a reward?"

A reward? What could he even want? Why would he even want a reward when he looked so proud of himself? Before he could ask, Lucifer had his arms full of radio demon. His arms were around the fallen angel's waist and his face in his stomach. His ears flat against his head instead of on high alert. It was so cute! Lucifer could vaguely register gasps behind them but was too focused on the man in front of him.

He was tempted to reach out and feel how soft his hair and ears were. How sturdy and smooth his antlers were. Would he grow them if Lucifer asked? So many questions. So many possibilities. Where would he even begin? His thoughts came to a screeching halt when he felt the buck nuzzle into his stomach and try to nip at the skin, only to growl at the shirt that stopped him.

The alarm bells that had been going off in his head increased tenfold. Whatever fog had been impairing his thinking was starting to clear. Quickly.

"Sire. Little doe. You smell divine. Like a ripe fruit ready to be plucked." Dark eyes looked up at the king. Filled with a hunger that had excitement and panic shoot through Lucifer's body. "My little mate."

Oh. Oh fuck. 

The pieces all finally clicked into place. It's fucking mating season and he is leaking pheromones all over the place! No wonder Alastor was acting so strange! Wait...

Alastor had called him his mate. Could smell something when he had his face pressed to Lucifer's stomach. Oh, hell no! He was not about to let this creepy ass bastard have his way with him. Scrambling off the couch, Lucifer yelped as he ended up falling over the back of the couch. That fucker. He looked delighted at the idea of Lucifer running. Looked like he would leap over the couch to pin him down.

"Yeah. No. You stay the fuck over there! I'm going to Lust and while I'm gone you need to air this place out!" Running out the door to the limo they kept parked out front to take him to the elevators to take him to the Lust Ring, not trusting his magic at the moment, Lucifer almost froze in fear at the scream that he was sure shook the whole Pride Ring.

"L U C I F E R!"

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[androgynousblackbox]

How I Met Your Father. 8 [Radioapple, Appleradio]

How You Met My Friend

A03 link

When they reached the hotel, the lights were still off. The minions had finished with the wall so from the outside it looked like nothing had happened.

"Do you think Charlie is at her room?" asked Lucifer when the limo stopped, not really waiting for an answer as he opened up the door.

He went out to the driver seat to pick up the keys from the little imp, giving him mindlessly some tip in the form of a thick portion of money just had on his pocket.

"Tha-thank you, sir!" The imp could not believe his good luck.

The same luck that evaporated the moment the shark went running back to the hotel. He didn't realized how much until a black tentacle closed around his ankle. The strong grip left no defense as he was dragged over the floor, leaving him hanging in front of the radio demon. Of course he knew who he was and knew the fear at the pit of his stomach when that infamous smile turned to him.

"I hope you know I am not killing you simply because a small insect like you is not worth it" stated Alastor, as pleasantly as commenting about the weather. The tiny speck of sinner's blood on his cheek was all that he could see. "But if I find out that you told anyone about what you saw today, I will hunt you down and everyone you have ever cared about. In fact, I will kill all of them in front of you before I finish you off and then, I will take my time with you. I like my privacy after all and I do no like peeping toms. Are we clear, my good man?"

The response was immediate, like a reflex when a nerve was struck.

"I haven't seen anything! Ha ha ha, I don't even know who you are, sir! I have no idea what you are talking about! I can't say anything if nothing happened!"

"Wonderful" said Alastor, letting him fall to the ground. Alastor used another tentacles to grab at the bunch of money, without imp noticing it's abscense as he ran away.

He put it on his own pocket. He didn't need it, nor wanted it, but the little imp did and that is what he deserved for taking his eyes off the road for one second when carrying such valuable passangers.

"Al! You have the key!" called Lucifer, getting back from failing to open the doors.

In the vehicle he had cleaned up the blood with a simple gesture, but had forgotten to change his form back. Alastor debated with himself about telling him directly or count how long it took his oblivious husband to realize on his own. One time it had taken him two full days to notice, right until he had a meeting with the Queen of Gluttony and she laughed for two minutes before asking what he was doing disguised like that. He always wondered how long it could take without any inteference.

"Coming, my dear" Alastor walked with long strides, taking it out from his pocket.

He decided he was going to keep quiet, see what happened. As soon he opened up, Lucifer went inside, already looking for Charlie.

The other residents must not have come back or were already sleeping. Dazzle and Razzle had even moved all the luggage of Charlie back where it belonged, and the wall was finished, so nothing at all was moving on the lobby.

"She is in the kitchen" explained Alastor, already going there.

Since Charlie did had a good amount of his own magic on her, he was always able to detect her location as long they were on certain vecinity. Lucifer himself wasn't able to do that without a specific spell. His magic was far too much to keep track of every trace of it, it was the equivalent of an ocean being aware of each drop. Alastor had learned to at least appreciate that connection with his fawn.

"Should I have brought something for her?" asked Lucifer in a whisper, as if Charlie could be listening. "Ice cream or something? Didn't she mention she liked frozen yogurt? Would a machine for that help her feel better?"

Alastor sighed. The return of his tiny anxious king.

"How about we first talk with our daughter before deciding anything?"

"I feel bad going empty handed… I know I warned her this could happen, but I don't like that it happened. Maybe I should have prepared her better? Would that helped? Great, why I didn't think of that before? Fantastic move, me."

"It's not your fault that heaven is dissapointing, love" He stopped right before their reached the kitchen. Lucifer turned around and looked surprised when Alastor put both hands on his shoulders. When he spoke, the radio filter fizzed out to the its end. "This is not about you. It's about Charlie. Let Charlie talk whatever she wants and we will nod and be understandable because that is what supportive parents do. You can get her everything she wants later."

Lucifer pouted for just a second before he sighed. A small nod of agreement shook his head and Alastor hummed, kissing his forehead.

"Oh, wait, you still have blood on you" Lucifer quickly conjured up a napkin on his hand to clean it up. He hold the chin of Alastor gently as he worked. "Charlie is going to get worried if she sees it."

Alastor had actually forgotten about it. He wasn't used to getting any stains from his quick for fun killings, even if he did loved his husband covered in them. He let Lucifer take care of him. In the dark of the hallway the king wouldn't notice how different his own hand was than usual, but the stain had attached itself to his memory.

"Thank you" said, clearing his throat. He let a second pass before he added. "You should probably change form too."

His experiment would have to be realized at another time.

"Huh?" Lucifer lifted his hand to his face, feeling the shark nose where nothing should be. "Oh, fuck!" He snapped both his fingers at the same time, returning to his real figure. "Is it better now?"

Alastor looked at him and then turned his gaze to the side.

"Perfect."

He saw the shine of Lucifer's smile before he straighten up his shoulders, taking a deep breath.

"Hello?" called Vaggie, coming out the frame to the kitchen. When she noticed the couple, more Lucifer than Alastor, she visibly relaxed. "Oh, it's actually you. Sorry, I heard something and I got concerned."

"It's fine" said Lucifer, hurrying to her to hug her. Not the same bone crushing hug of usual, but not less heartfelt. "Are you okay, sweetie? It must have been hard for you too."

Vaggie's shoulder fell, patting the back of the man as she blushed, like she never expected someone to ask her that.

"Oh, me? I am okay, actually. Thank you, sir" she commented. "I didn't even missed it as much as I thought I would. Adam tried to be an asshole because he didn't know that Charlie knew about me, but it didn't worked so he was just an asshole in general. The whole meeting was… well, not how we expected it to go. You should probably go talk with Charlie, sir. She needs you more than I do."

Lucifer let out a small, sad, chuckle.

"Someday you are going to stop calling me sir" promised, patting her head. "Thanks for taking care of my baby, sweetie."

The blush of Vaggie got more intense as she quickly nodded her head, looking down.

"O-of course, sir. Always."

Lucifer's eyes soften up, as if he had not a single doubt about it. He gave her another quick squish, Vaggie responding to it with more confidence, before going to the kitchen.

Vaggie and Alastor got behind. She looked at him down and up, uncomfortable.

"Uhm…"

"No need, dear" Alastor went past her.

His family needed him after all. Vaggie seemed to be relieved as she followed him.

Charlie was sat down at the table, a fresh bowl of ice cream with chocolate chips for extra comfort in front of her. She had calmed down somewhat since coming back, but when Lucifer hugged her strong her sobs returned.

"Dad, it was so awful…"

"I know, sweetie, I know. I am so sorry."

Over the shoulder of Lucifer she saw Alastor coming and extended one of her hands with grabby fingers to him. Alastor remembered a similar scene when Charlie was in highschool and failed at a exam she had worked hard on, purely because of her own nerves. Back then it had taken Lucifer donating an obscene amount of money to the school for them to allow Charlie to retake it. This wasn't going to be solved quite as easily. Alastor joined on the hug, rubbing the back of his daughter, which somehow broke her calm even more.

"They-they were so meaaan! I told them everything about how people are improving here and they didn't care! Angel had done everything on the stupid list of Adam to get into heaven and they just kept talking about his job as if that changed anything! Then Adam said he was going to come to the hotel first! The rest of heaven didn't even know about the extermination! And now they want to come here!" Was what they could understand from her crying filled quick rant as she crushed them back, sniffling into the stripped vest of Lucifer. "I am so sorry, I am so sorry, I don't know why I keep making things worse for everyone…"

At least that was clear enough for them to respond to.

"Hey, hey, don't say that" said Lucifer, brushing her hair back and rocking her head gently, like when she was a lot smaller. "It's not your fault, sweetie. None of it is. Heaven is like that. They don't like anything that goes outside of their idea of how things should be. It has always been that way."

"That is not reason to come kill people!" That was the last coherent portion of Charlie's speech before she devolved on weeping again where they could only caught words like "doom" and "everyone", which was still plenty explanatory by themselves.

Lucifer kissed her head over and over, his own eyes getting wet but still containing his own tears by some miracle. Alastor reached to scratch her softly in the space between her antlers. By experience he knew that was a especially effective massage.

"Whatever happens, I will be here" promised Alastor.

Charlie elevated her head towards his hand like a kitten, sniffing.

"And if any of them put a single finger on you, I will come too" added Lucifer.

"Are those really the only options?" Charlie whiped her eyes quickly as more new tears come in. "Just let them come here and do whatever they want while you try to keep me alive? What about the rest of the hotel or everyone else? What safety can I offer them?"

"I can han…" started Alastor and Charlie growled, actually growled, her own antlers growing in size for a moment.

"STOP SAYING THAT!" She squeezed his hand against her eyes, both turned to black, for a moment. "Dad, I am sorry, I love you, but that is not enough right now." With a quivering sigh, she looked them again with her mismatched normal ones. The antlers also came back to regular size. "They are not going to stop until they kill us all and I can't only depend on you to take care of everything. That is not fair to you or anyone else here on the hotel… if they even decide to stay. I wouldn't blame them if this is the last drop for them."

"I will stay" said Vaggie, standing at the other side of Charlie to reach her shoulder and give it a squeeze. "No matter what, I will stay right here with you. We can do this, honey."

Charlie smiled a little bit, the unspoken thank you more than clear as she took her hand and squeezed back. Lucifer sighed, looking up to Alastor, who gave a small nod, before he turned again to their daughter.

"There is…" He groaned. This was literally the last thing he wanted to talk about. Up until now every extermination have been a stay away from it and you will be fine business. This was a declaration for a war now. "There is a way to defend yourself. Angels can be killed too. They are not invulnerable, especially not here."

"What?" asked both Charlie and Vaggie at the same time.

"H-how? I never knew about that" Vaggie protested.

"Yeah, figures" Lucifer scratched his head. "You… The exorcists, I mean, they are only send to exterminate, not to fight. They never had to defend themselves before because they assume there is no threat. But there is a way that they do have" Lucifer sighed, pointing at his own left eye while looking at Vaggie. "You already know. What did they used with you?"

"A spear…" Vaggie answered before looking at her own weapon resting against the table. "I-I thought that they could hurt, not that it could just… actually kill. Is that really all?"

"That is all" said Lucifer. "Angelic steel. You can even treat them like zombies if you want. One quick beheading and you will never have to worry about them again. Just" he made the gesture of cutting his own neck, "and they will go down. You can't cure that."

"Then that means we do have a fighting chance" said Vaggie, smiling to Charlie but the princess remained silent, staring at her father like it was the first time she saw him.

"You knew that" said Charlie, her brows furrowed. "You knew that angels could be killed all this time and never thought to tell me?"

If he wasn't so pale already, the face of Lucifer would have gone paper like at the tone of her daughter, one he never heard before. The accusation on her voice left him speechless for a second, but only a second at least.

"For you to go fight against heaven?" The king grabbed his chest, as if trying to control his own beating heart. "Honey, even if you did had the right weapons, that doesn't mean that I would want us to go to war. I never wanted that to happen or much less for you to get involved with it."

"Oh, so you were protecting me?" Charlie stand up, her antlers getting bigger as her eyes blackened without pupils. She chuckled without any trace of humor. "Funny that. Sera was saying the same thing when she explained why she hide the extermination from the rest of heaven. I guess you two are not that different after all."

"Charlie…" Lucifer stared at her, not knowing what to say.

Charlie ignored him and lifted her gaze to Alastor.

"Did you know about it? Were you also protecting me by making me believe we were powerless to do anything?" She added with a sneer: "Was it fun to watch at least?"

"Young lady, you are going too far now" warned Alastor, static noises filling up the air, just before Lucifer intervened.

"No!" said the king quickly, acting as a barrier between his husband and daughter. "Alastor had no idea! I never thought to tell him. Nobody else in hell knows besides us and… Carmilla Carmine. She deals with angelic steel and killed one of them in the last extermination. If anyone can help with weapons and fighting against them, it has to be her."

Charlie blinked, taken aback.

"What? How long were you planning to sit on that information? Were you ever planning to tell me?" Charlie sighed, squeezing a fist at her side. "No, you know what, I don't want to hear it. I will take care of this. I don't need your help. Thanks, papa."

"Charlie" Lucifer tried to reach with one hand, but Charlie had already moved out of the way to get out of the kitchen with Vaggie following just behind.

She did looked back for a second, as if wanting to say something, but in the end was unable to find any word. Lucifer let himself fall to the now empty chair, rubbing his face. The kitchen was silent for a few moments.

"Why did you lie, dear?" asked Alastor finally, unbearably gentle. "I am just as guilty as you are in this situation."

Lucifer pulled his cheek down as he looked up, showing the tender pink flesh under his desperate eyes.

"She doesn't need to be angry at the both of us right now" said, letting out a heavy amount of air that seemed to do nothing to calm him down. He pushed the bowl of ice crean to a side in order to make his arm cacoons, squeezing his forehead against the wood. "Please, tell me that you know a way to make this less shitty. Some way to help her. Anything."

"I might" Alastor admitted. "But she will need to come herself to convince them."

"Cannibal town?" asked Lucifer's muffled voice. That was the only kind of group he could imagine Alastor would need to convince to do anything, rather than just threaten them.

"Indeed" he moved one of the chair next to his husband and sat down. "They are a strong group, but more important than that, they are a big number. With that and convincing Carmilla to provide for us the weapons, there is a good chance this could result in our favor. Of course, I would be here even if she was angry at me."

"She won't listen if she is angry" Lucifer lifted his head only to rub at this temples. "For my name, that totally took it from you."

Alastor shrugged. There was no point arguing the obvious. Lucifer sighed again and he extended a hand to rub the arm of the king. Lucifer grabbed his hand, but didn't moved it, turning his head to look at him with dry but heavy eyes.

"I never wanted this to happen."

"I know, love."

"All this time, the last thing I ever wanted is for her to be their target. I already have enough thinking that you could be next."

Alastor hummed, moving his chair closer to hug the tiny king. He didn't bother to remind him that no extermination was ever get to him, mainly because he wasn't a fucking idiot that was just going to walk around the streets when it was time, because he understood that Lucifer just needed to unload before saying what he really wanted to get at.

"I know" agreed, kissing his crown and feeling no small satisfaction when the body of Lucifer melted a bit against him.

"Sera saw them kick me out of heaven" Despite the tears that were already staining his cheeks, his voice remained firm as he spoke. "She didn't say a word not to anger them further or be punished too. I would never do that to Charlie. I would go to hell all over again if it was for her."

Alastor hummed, helping up to lift the king with his tentacles to accomodate him on his lap. Only then Lucifer seemed able to let go, looking utterly defeated as he buried his face on the face of Alastor. He breathed in, as if letting the smell of his husband to be its own form of comfort.

"I would never treat my own kid like that" continued Lucifer, his arms wrapping around Alastor's middle. "Ever. I don't care who it pisses off."

"I am sure she knows, my dear" said Alastor, wrapping him too as he nuzzled the top of the blonde hair. "She won't be angry forever. Not even I can manage that and you give me so many reasons for it. If I can forgive you, she will too. Just give her some time."

Lucifer suddenly snorted, reaching up to rest his chin on the space between Alastor's shoulder and his neck.

"You love me" sang Lucifer lazily, kissing the neck that was exposed on his new suit. His lips moved slowly with no rush. "You look so dumb trying to deny it."

"I never denied it" said Alastor with a grin, moving his neck to leave the king to nibble at his skin. A pleasant warm installed on the pit of his vast stomach. It wasn't a sexy kind of warm as much as the warm of a soft blanket, enjoying the intimacy of being so close someone who he knew would never bite without permission. A safe and comfortable feeling Lucifer could soak on too. "You can love someone and still be upset at them. We both know that. Charlie will come around."

"You promise?"

"Sure" Alastor looked down when Lucifer separated his lips from him. He caressed the red cheek, still a bit moist from his tears. Charlie had gotten upset at them before, it was inevitable, but she hasn't in a long time and even more since she directed it to Lucifer, so of course it would hit him the hardest. "I will talk with her."

"Don't" said Lucifer, shaking his head slightly. "That can wait. The priority now is getting Carmine and the Cannibal Town on her side. I will feel better when that is secured."

"Consider it done" assured Alastor, lifting up from the chair. He accomodated Lucifer on his arms to carry him bridal style. It always amazed how despite all his strenght, all the weight of his husband didn't mean a great effort for him. "I have a feeling that they will actually take a liking to her rather quickly, despite her dietary choices."

"How come?"

Alastor smiled widened.

"Oh, let's just say that they will find other similar interests."

--

On the next morning, Charlie called for a meeting with the residents to announce them about the news. Alastor sat on his usual seat. His daughter gave him a tight smile as greeting, the eyebags of a sleepless night more evident than ever, before she turned her attention back to everyone else.

"So, how bad was it?" asked Angel first, as soon he sat down. Husk had already started drinking up from his flask, not bothering with a mug, and Sir Pentious likewise looked like his night wasn't any better. "You wouldn't look so much like shit if it was good news."

"How about you let her speak first?" said Vaggie crossing her arms.

"In this life if possible" Angel lifted a hand to Charlie. "We are listening, princess."

Charlie joined her hands together, her thumb rubbing each other as she gathered her thoughts.

"Well… Angel is not really wrong. Heaven doesn't really have any interest in redemption."

"I am shocked" Angel rolled his eyes. "Shocked I tell you."

"Angel" warned Vaggie, rubbing the shoulder of Charlie. "Come on, honey."

Charlie sighed.

"That is not all. Adam got… especially pissy during the meeting, so now he decided that on the next extermination this is going to be their first stop. Me and Vaggie were talking last night, so he think we may have a way to get some stuff we need to defend ourselves. We can't really garantee to keep any of you safe any longer. You should really be looking for a better refuge until this is over" Her eyes lifted up to the ceiling for a moment, but somehow remained her composure while avoiding looking to anyone's face. "We are staying because this is our home now, but you have no obligation to do the same. I will understand no matter what happens. I… I just want you to know that I really enjoyed having you all here. I am sorry. I am really sorry."

After those words, Charlie covered her mouth and moved to the door. Vaggie went after her.

"Fucking knew that we were fucked. Should have bet on that" sighed Husk, taking a long swift.

"Do you mind sparing a zip?" asked Angel and wasn't surprised when his only answer was a middle finger.

"I can fix you something quick" said Husk, standing up for the bar.

"I will have ssomething too" Sir Pentious stand out as well.

When the three moved away, Alastor did as well, letting his shadows to take him right in front of Charlie. She was already at the entrance of the hotel, holding onto herself and speaking to Vaggie in whispers that suddenly got interrupted when she saw the black spot coming to them.

"My dear!" said Alastor, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Excelent speech you gave out there. Truly makes your old man proud."

"What do you want, dad?" Charlie wasn't trying to be hostile, but was clearly too tired for pleasantries.

"Straight to the point! Excelent!" He stomped his cane on the ground. "I will be brief then. Come with me to visit an old friend. I think she could be of a lot of help for our cause. Your companion right there can handle Carmilla on her own, don't you, dear?"

"I mean" Vaggie looked from Charlie to the radio demon. Charlie wasn't more sure than her so she just shrugged, curious at least "if you really think that is necesary, sir���"

"Indeed it is. Thank you, dear, we are counting on you!" Before Vaggie could add anything else, he was already putting his arm around Charlie's shoulder and taking her away on a shadow.

When they materialized once again, Charlie stumbled over her feet, making her to rely on Alastor to not crash against the floor. It had been the longest travel she had that way before. Alastor was glad enough when Charlie didn't immediately throw up.

"Easy there" Alastor hold her shoulders, giving her a moment to stabilize herself again.

"Where… where are we?" asked Charlie, holding her head and realizing she didn't recognized the streets.

"I told you, we are visiting an old friend that I think could help" Alastor streighten up, offering his arm for his daughter to take on.

Charlie looked around, doubting, but if Alastor himself was the one offering the contact then it should be fine. She was more used to have one or both of his parents in disguise before getting close to them in public. But for the rest of hell, they would already know about Alastor's job at the hotel and that she was the owner. Seeing them walk togehter in a public space shouldn't be that big of a deal.

"Do you really think that is going to work?" asked Charlie.

"It doesn't hurt to try" Alastor looked in front, like this was any normal outing. He patted her hand. "The only issue is that she doesn't know, so if she asks…"

"You are just the hotelier that works with me" recited Charlie, understanding the protocol. "Papa is my only parent and my antlers have nothing to do with yours."

"Very well."

Charlie looked down, taking a deep breath. She was way past the point of questioning why Alastor didn't had any trust not even in the people he called friends. That was just the kind of thing she had to learn to accept growing up.

"Is papa going to be busy today?"

"I don't know, dear. I am not the secretary of his Majesty."

Charlie glared at him.

"Seriously? You can't tell me that?"

"My, if I barely know the king at all!" Alastor smiled at her with a spark of humor. "But if I did… I can only imagine that he sends his best regards and wishes his daughter for the best."

"Gee, thanks" Charlie rolled her eyes, pouting. "I can't believe he just… hide that from me. I am not a child anymore."

"Mmm."

"I am not saying that is not scary! It is! It really is! And I kinda get it, with how heaven treated him, but shouldn't that be all the more reason to prepared me for the worst?"

Alastor made another non commital noise, which was all Charlie needed to keep going.

"It's like he doesn't understand that I need this thing to work! It's not just like, some hobby to do on the side while waiting for something better! This is really important for me. I don't know how else to tell him for him to understand that. You do, Alastor, don't you?"

"Of course."

Alastor moved her to a side, making her avoid a cyclist cannibal that she didn't even notice as she continued her ranting. She was truly her father's daughter after all.

"Thank you! I just don't get it. Does he think I am weak? That I can't defend myself? Is that it? Well, sure, if I don't know that is even an option I won't! But I can learn if needed! Would it really be so much to ask just a little bit of trust? Just a little bit, just a tiny bit of "sure, Charlie, I recognize you as someone capable so here, have everything you need in order to save the people who you care about." I don't think that is asking much! We wouldn't even be in this mess in the first place if he haven't allowed the extermination!"

Alastor's feet stopped moving, a subtle crack of static coming off from somewhere around him. He looked at Charlie, who was just confused by his sudden change in demeanor.

"Sometimes" said, choosing his word carefully, "things are a little more complicated than what they seem, my dear. You shouldn't judge so quickly" Then, as if he was done with the subject, he perked up again, pointing with his staff a sign. "Anyway, here we are! Charlie Morningstar, I present to you Cannibal Town!"

"Oh" Charlie looked around, only then taking in the quant portion of the city that looked remarkably better than care of than others she had seen. She had heard a lot about that place, mostly as where Alastor got the "especial meat" for especial ocassions, but she had never see it herself. Some cannibal kids were playing with a ball as couples walked hand in hand. "This is surprisingly nice."

"And soon you are going to know the reason why!" Alastor took her arm again, directing her to a pale pink building. The sign on top read Franklin and Rosie emporium, but the name Franklin had been crossed out. Before they came inside, Alastor fixed up the bowtie of Charlie and brushed her hair behind her ear. "I want you to know the overlord in charge of this place. She conducts her territory with an iron fist. We could count with the assistance of her people if you just convince her."

"Are… are you sure about that?" asked Charlie. Truth be told, besides Alastor, she hadn't interacted a lot with cannibals besides seeing them feasting on the fallen demons after each extermination. Something that didn't really inspired a lot of trust for her.

"Beggars can't be chosers, my dear" Alastor opened up the door for her, letting her enter first. "Besides, you need as much allies as you can gather."

She couldn't argue with that. The whole emporium seemed to be a truly popular place for the town. It was almost entirely filled with cannibals looking at the product with the constant murmuring of their conversation. A single voice stand out over everyone else as soon they were inside.

"Is that Alastor? Darling, where were you?" Between a barrier of people, a tall woman with a big hat made her way to them and hugged Alastor. Charlie blinked, not used to seeing her father being affectionate with anyone outside of their family. "I was wondering when you were going to come around! I got some more meat of bull demon that you really liked the last time and I saved some torso just for you, dearie!" She winked an eye and giggled happily, up until she noticed Charlie behind her and then gasped loudly. "Did you really bring this pretty thing with you? Alastor, aren't you just shameless! She is far too young for you."

She laughed at her own joke. Alastor's eyes went wide as he froze in place.

"Oh no" they said both at the same time, Charlie taking a long step back.

"No, no, no. Not that. At all. Not even close. Nope. No, no, no" She lifted both her arm to cross in front of her, looking almost green. "Please, don't say that again."

"Well, alright" Rosie frowned slightly, without losing her own smile. She turned to Alastor, leaving a dainty hand over his chest. "I was just saying because I keep hearing all these rumours about you dating around with these cuties. You made quite a scene the other night that sounded like a fun time. Not that I judge you, darling, not at all! I am glad that you are enjoying your bachelor years!"

"That is nice to know, dear" Alastor cleared his throat, putting his arm around her shoulder. "This young lady you see here is Charlie Morningstar, the princess of hell. Charlie, I present to you the Cannibal Overlord, Rosie. The most deadly, ruthless and loveliest woman you are ever going to meet in this side of hell."

Rosie gave her a little courtsy.

"It's an honor to receive you on my humble shop, princess. What can I do for you? I have every part of any anatomy that you could ever want!"

Charlie smiled more sincerely. She did seemed to be nice with Alastor and she was happy to see that.

"N-no, thank you. We didn't came for food."

"Speak for yourself, dear" Alastor's eyes squinted on a bigger smile to Rosie. "I will be taking that bull demon meat for later."

"Of course, I wouldn't expect nothing else!" Rosie giggled, clapping her hands together. "Well, princess, if you don't want to sink those pretty teeth on something, what else could I do for you?"

Charlie looked over at Alastor, unconsciously looking for some reaffirmation. When the radio demon nodded slightly, she perked up.

"I-I was actually thinking about asking you for a favor. If that is okay with you."

"Oh?" Rosie tilted her head, touching her jaw with a finger. "Then come with me, dearie, so we can talk more calmly." She put an hand on the shoulder of Charlie to guide her to a more private space, where she offered her to take a seat as she took another. Alastor stand out at the side of Charlie. Rosie smiled to one of her employees leaving two cups of tea on the small table between them, along with a plate with severed pinkies. "What kind of favor are we talking about?"

"Well… I don't know if you heard about the Hazbin Hotel I am working on."

"That silly redemption project? Everyone in hell heard about it! I am telling you already, dear. Nobody in my town will want to change their ways to enter heaven. I still do not understand why Alastor is there, but who is going to torture that out of him!" She chuckled, winking an eye to Alastor in a joking manner. "You will waste your time if you try to reclute them for that."

"No, nothing of that" Charlie grabbed a portion of her long hair and started brushing it. "Actually, we have a different kind of problem already. The extermination is going to start on the hotel and I was… wondering" She looked again to Alastor, waiting for his smile to keep going, "if you could maybe send of your people to come help us fight back."

"So you want us as fighters?" Rosie laughed gently, almost covering her mouth. "That is a huge favor indeed! We do love a good blooshed just like anyone else, but why would we do that? You have to give me a better pitch than just asking nicely, sweetie."

"Well, um…" Alastor put a hand on Charlie's shoulder and squeezed once before leaving her, joining his hands at his back as he looked casual. Charlie gulped, finding her words. "We don't just want to fight. We plan to take them down. You can do whatever you want with the bodies later. Have you ever had angel meat?"

"Can't say I have!" Rosie perked up. "Do you really think it will come to that, dear? Do you have the means for it?"

"We are getting them. Right as we speak. We only need people who will use them. I promise that if you come with us, we will have a real chance."

"Mmm" Rosie smiled, taking a sip from her own cup. "You are awfully quiet for such a talkative man, Alastor. I thought that hotel was also important for you? You know that Mimzy fummed for days after you kicked her out, poor girl."

"I am nothing but just a humble employee" said Alastor, patting the head of Charlie. He really couldn't help but to feel proud of his fawn taking control of the situation, offering bloody feasts completely on her own. "Of course I would let the manager to do the speaking. I am mostly here for support and vouch for her word."

"Well, you haven't been doing a lot of vouching now" Rosie put her cup down and crossed her legs, an amused smirk on her face. "Do you really think this is a good idea? Can you assure me that promise will be fulfilled?"

"Absolutely, my dear old friend" Alastor extended a hand to take hers, giving her knuckles the softest of brushes against his lips. Charlie stared at the exchange with a slight frown, but didn't say anything. "Lend us your people and I promise you will be sick of all the new meat you will have. Rivers of angelic blood and viscera all for you, nothing less than what a lady like you deserves. The sky will rain gold the day of the battle and those angels will regret the day they ever came close to us. We will teach heaven a real reason to fear us."

Rosie laughed good naturedly, taking out her hand only to gently slap him on the shoulder.

"Oh, honey, you do know your words to charm a lady" she commented. Charlie made a line out of her lips, looking at a side. "Well, I am sold!"

"Wait, really?" said Charlie, blinking.

"Yes, of course! I love it when a young lady is taking charge and Alastor has been a good friend thus far, so if he is giving his word then I believe it. But you will still need to convince the rest, dear. There is only so much only I can do if you want them all to cooperate" She put her chin on her hand. "Just add a little of pizzazz and you will have them eating out from your hand. Figurely speaking."

"She knows her way around that, she's a natural" added Alastor with a sincere smile. "It will be easy as pie."

It wasn't as easy as pie. In fact, it was a disaster. Between Charlie stumbling over her words at the mic and Susan's expected hackling, Rosie announced a little break through her megaphone to take a black eyed Charlie to a side.

"No, no. Stay" Rosie stopped Alastor when he tried to follow them. "We are having a girl's talk, no boys allowed. Keep them entertained until we are back."

The ears of Alastor's flattened, but nodded. Charlie could feel the stare of her father as Rosie guided her back to her emporium, entering to a space behind some curtains that looked to be the office of the owner. Charlie sighed as she sat on the couch.

"I am sorry" said, rubbing her face.

Rosie sat at her side, holding both her hands on her lap.

"Dear, I am sorry, I am sure you have a lot on your mind right now, but I really have to ask this" Charlie lifted her sight to her. The overlord smiled for a moment. "Please, don't take this the wrong way but… what relationship do you actually have with Alastor? I have been way too curious this whole time."

"Whaaaat… what do you mean?" Charlie started twisting a lock of hair, her smile shaky and uncomfortable. "You heard him, he is just like, a friend, who works with me. That is all. Nothing more or nothing less!"

"You are a terrible bullshiter, darling" pointed out Rosie gently, patting her knee. "Come on, it can't be that bad. It's not like you are going to tell me you are his secret daughter or something."

Rosie chuckled at her own suggestion and Charlie joined in, laughing way too loud for anyone's comfort.

"That is a joke! Good joke! Extremely good joke! That is so funny, I can't believe you would even think of something so…" She stared at the other lady, realizing the shock on her face far too late. Her shoulder slumped, as if caught in the act with her hand on the cookie jar. "What gave it away?"

"Besides the red tips of your fingers, horns, the stitches and your eye, you mean?" Rosie sighed, her smile coming back as she was getting over her own surprise. "I don't know, called it some good old intuition and knowing Alastor for a good while. The way he acts with you is definitely out of the norm for him. I have never seen him so…"

"Supportive?" tried to help Charlie.

"Protective. Oh, I am sure that most people wouldn't notice anything, sweetie, you don't have to look so guilty."

"Sorry" Charlie looked down at her fingers. It was only the very tip rather than the two falanges Alastor had. Was it really that obvious? Nobody had clocked her before… although it wasn't common either for her and an Alastor without disguise to be seen at the same public space together. "Nobody was supposed to know."

Rosie nodded.

"Yeah, I imagined that. That man for sure loves to think only he holds all the cards" She then smirked, getting closer as she lowered her voice, as if sharing a mutual secret. "I guess if anything I feel some sense of vindication now. Years ago I had this crazy thought that Alastor had the glow with him. You know, that glow that new parents get when all they think about is their baby and all they want to do is get back home to them. I saw him staring at the baby stores and the families walking around more than usual. I thought oh, maybe he is thinking of eating a whole family! That is neat! But at the back of my head I was, why is he looking at the baby toys too then? He said he was just bored and wasn't paying attention, but I knew something was up. I didn't insist much either because he seemed happy, and who I am to question someone's happiness? I guess now I know what that was all about. You were the baby all along" She smiled more warmly now, brushing her hair back, not knowing she was imitating the same thing Alastor did before meeting her. "Such a pitty he never trusted me enough to tell me. I would have spoiled you rotten myself if I could. Oh, I am sure you were the cutest little thing growing up."

Charlie blushed a little, but did felt comforted by her words. She wasn't angry or dissapointed in Alastor. She understood, or at least didn't felt inclined to criticize what Alastor had done by keeping her on the dark.

"I also wish I had known you before" commented Charlie, honestly. Even if she would end up not eating the same things, Rosie did seemed a genuinely sweet person. "But dad was really paranoid about someone using that information against him."

"They would have. That was a wise decision. A little extreme, yes, but understandable. It's a cut throat world out there, dear, especially for notorious overlords. That is why you don’t hear about many of us in relationships or with families. Teams of overlords working together are extremely rare for the same reason. Everything we care about can be used as leverage, as a new weapon."

"That is what he said for why I couldn't mention to anyone he is married to papa either."

Rosie blinked a few times.

"He is what, honey?" asked and something on her tone gave Charlie pause.

"He… he is married to my papa. I was raised by both of them. I thought that was implied?"

"No, it wasn't, dear" Rosie streighten up. "I thought he was a father in the sense of a donor that decided to get involved on the child's life. I can't imagine why the king would choose a sinner as a donor for his heir, but that is besides the point. I didn't know that they actually had that kind of relationship" Rosie looked at her curtains for a moment, in direction to the center of town where Alastor should be keeping the other cannibals still in place. Her eyebrows came together as a thought came to her. "And he has been dating around? Oh, no. Sweetie, I am so terribly sorry. I never expected something like that from him. That must be so hard for you."

Before Charlie could add anything, Rosie brought her to a iron hold hug and petted her hair.

"What?" said, confused for a second until the meaning of those words reached her brain and she blushed violently. Rosie thought that Alastor was cheating on her father. "Oh, no! No, no, no, it's not like that at all! That was all my papa! All those dates are just papa shapeshifting!"

Rosie free her enough to look at her face.

"Really? All of them?"

Charlie nodded.

"To… to keep the secret better" explained, deciding to guard the part of papa's social anxiety for herself. No matter how upset she was with him, they still deserved some privacy. Despite the misunderstanding she felt a bit good for talking with someone else about her family, having a chance to defend them for once. "It's all just them. Dad would never do that."

Rosie turned her head slightly to the side.

"Well, if someone is going to know better than me I guess it's going to be you" She smiled indulgently. "It's still hard to imagine, you know? I am the matchmaker of this place so you would think I would notice if one of my friends got married. On top of that, to a king! With a kid! It's kinda romantic in a weird unorthodox way I suppose" Rosie sighed. Somehow her black eyes seemed to soften as she caressed her cheek. "Your papa must be a special devil if Alastor took so much time and effort to protect what you guys have.”

"He is" admitted Charlie, looking down.

"Oh? Was that the issue all along?" asked Rosie, picking up on her tone. Charlie blushed a little, but nodded. There was no point lying at this stage of their conversation. "Well, I am not an expert on daddy issues, but I am told I am a good listener! Come on, dearie, tell me all about it!"

So Charlie did. All about how she did always resented papa for allowing the extermination to happen, everything about how frustrating it was knowing that neither him or dad truly believed on her dream and how she was fine with all of that. Really, she was! Or at least it was easier to put it aside. But the ommition of the angel killing felt like the final slap to the face. A reminder like no other that he still only saw her as a little kid that needed to be protected and couldn't do much of anything outside of him. Rosie brought a new cup of black liquid that Charlie took without thinking and drank as she continued. It was bitter, but just a a few half dozen of sugar cubes made it all good for her.

"What is this, by the way?"

"Rose tea, my dear" said Rosie, wisely keeping to herself that all her roses were fertilized with fresh bodies exclusively to make them stronger. Charlie hummed approvingly, taking more. "So, now you feel that because your dear old father hide that from you he doesn't really trust you to lead and that makes you doubt yourself more?"

"Oh" Charlie's eyebrow came together. "I guess that is a way to summarize it."

Rosie chuckled.

"Sweetheart, I say this fully understanding your feelings and also a bit from where your papa comes from" The overlord crossed her legs and smiled deviously at her, flicking her wrist. "Fuck it. Since when what our parents think should determine the rest of our lives? My own father wanted me to settle down and have 8 children like his mother. Suffice to say, the only children I ever care about are those on my town and they all have their own parents to take care of them. I like more the role of the fun aunt that sneaks treats when they aren't watching" She smiled, patting her knee. "I think you have some potential within you. I think Alastor sees that too or else he wouldn't have brought you here. You could always just show it to the face of the big boss of hell himself and make him realize how wrong he was, rather than already thinking he was right. If this silly hotel idea is really that important to you, then he will come around anyway."

"I don't know about that" Charlie rubbed her face with a hand. "Every time I try to advocate for it somehow I only make it worse."

"With a song and dance, right? I heard the rumors about the TV thing" Rosie suddenly perked. "Oh, now I understand why Alastor was talking about "lack of professionalism" so much when we talked about it."

Charlie cringed at the memory.

"Yeah, that."

Rosie smile widened as she reached to take the hand of Charlie.

"You just need the right audience for once."

--

Turned out that Rosie was right. Once she got into the rythm of things, not even Susan was enough to stop Charlie's ambition. The cannibals agreed to participate on the battle and she decidedly ignored Alastor promising them all the angel bodies that they could eat. In the end, she was exhausted so she waited outside the emporium as Rosie was packing the bull demon meat for Alastor to take out.

"Do you plan to share it with someone, darling? I feel like this is a lot even for you in one meal." asked Rosie, having to put the meat in two boxes for easier carrying.

"I have a few candidates in mind" Alastor chuckled nonchalantly.

"Another one of your conquest?" Rosie made a little gasp. "Oh! I completely forgot. I have these new finger tips made with a new recipe I am trying. Would you mind taking a bite and tell me what you think, dear?"

Alastor looked at the box offered up in front of him. He wasn't planning to take any snacks, but only one wouldn't hurt, so he took on one.

"Is it good?"

"Juicy" commented Alastor. "The blood being kept inside is a nice touch."

"Oh, that is not the only thing inside" Rosie chuckled sweetly as she took the hand of Alastor, pressing her finger over each of his fingers until stopping on the anular one. "Ah. Is this where the wedding ring is hiding? I would ask you to show me, but I guess we already established you don't want to do that."

"What are you talking about, dear?" Alastor's eye darted to the entrance for a second and Rosie brought his attention back to her, softly redirecting his chin.

"Oh, no. Don't try to blame that sweet girl for a thing. It's not her fault that you can't hide at all how much you care for her, especially for someone who pays enough attention" Rosie's smile went wider as she traced a finger over his cheek. "Alastor, my dear friend. Flaunting your charm all over the place is one thing, but doing that to the father of your child? You know what I feel about cheaters, don't you?"

Alastor's eye immediately went to the box of finger tips and back to Rosie. He remained still, his smile didn't falter, but his ears went back on his head. Rosie let the moment last a little longer before she completely lost it, snorting.

"I am sorry, I am sorry, I couldn't resist" said Rosie, picking one of the finger tips and bringing it to her mouth so he could see they were not, in fact, poisoned with anything. Just some new spices she wanted to test. "It's not every day that I get to play a little joke on the radio demon, I had to take my chance. I know all about the shapeshifting thing, love."

Alastor's shoulder relaxed.

"Hilarious, my dear" said with all the amusement of a dead fish.

"Indeed it was" Rosie chuckled again, her gaze staying on his glove a moment longer for Alastor to have it grip his staff. "I really wished you had told me."

Alastor looked around them, but the emporioum was empty, except for a few employees cleaning up the tables that were already talking between each other. Most cannibals were back at their homes having dinners with their families or significant others.

"Nobody was meant to know" said as his only attempt at apologizing. After a while, he continued as he rubbed his finger: "The last time someone got close to finding out it didn't end well. Now more than ever before I can't risk it."

"I am sorry for that, sweetie" Rosie said sincerely, extending her hand over his and giving it a gentle squeez. "Everything gets more complicated when kids are involved, I understand. I hope you know already I am not saying a word to anyone and nobody else find out. Just me, for as long you want me to keep quiet."

Alastor nodded. He didn't really put that into doubt. If anyone in hell would know to keep their mouth shut, that was going to be her.

"I appreciate it."

"Of course, dear" Rosie smiled as she inclined further over the counter. "Just tell me a little something and I will let you go with that darling girl of yours already, okay? At least for now because I can't promise I won't ask more later."

Alastor sighed.

"If you must. One question."

"One question." Rosie looked over at her employers, just to double check, and practically whispered next to Alastor's face. "Does he make you happy, dear?"

A sound of static broke the calm silence installed between them and Alastor pulled back, not meeting her gaze. Somehow that seemed to be even a better answer than what Rosie expected and she clasped her hands together, delighted.

"I see!" Rosie laughed candidly behind her hand, before giving him a soft peck on the check. "I am glad for you, my friend. Say hi to your darling from my part as you both enjoy this. Don't worry, this one goes on the house too. Consider it a late wedding gift."

Alastor looked at her for a moment, his ears flickering. It was weird, but not entirely repulsive to see other people refer to his husband like that. To have others recognize them as they were. They never even had wedding gifts.

"I will" promised, doubting for only a second before he reached out to squeeze her hand back. "Thanks."

Rosie waved at him and then Charlie when he opened up the door, reuniting with his daughter. Charlie looked at him as if nervously waiting for his reaction.

"I am not mad that she knows" clarified Alastor, which did calmed down Charlie. He pet her hair, letting his finger to brush it a moment longer. "Apparently it was more my fault than yours anyway."

Charlie took hold of his arm, hugging to it.

"Let's go home, dad."

Home meant finding out a long line of Carmine's branded boxes being delivered to the hotel, with a brand new winged Vaggie waiting for them. Inside of the hotel, even though she was happy everyone had decided to stay, she was taken aback by the imps workings on reinforce the hotel, the stairs, the windows, everything that could need it. Charlie recognized their white uniforms as the ones from the servants at the palace.

"Yep, I want all that glass covered!" was directing Lucifer, flying over the lobby as he was checking something off a piece of paper on his hand. "Everything that is fragil or could be used as a weapon I want it down and turned into an actual weapon. It won't finish the job, but as long it hurts them for a bit it will be enough!"

"Dear" called Alastor, seeing that Charlie seemed incapable of forming any word.

Lucifer turned around in the air, smiling wide.

"Hey, welcome back!" said, landing in front of them. "How was it? Do we have the cannibals coming or…?" Before he could finish his sentence, Charlie had already launched herself to his arms and making him drop his clipboard. Lucifer hugged her back, too taken aback to know what else to do. "Sweetie…?"

"I will prove you wrong, papa!" declared Charlie, holding up his face by squeezing his red dots until he was doing a duck face. "I will prove you I can do this! That this can work! I know it can!"

Lucifer's eyes darted for a second to Alastor, who shrugged, and then back to his daughter.

"Okay" said, still lost when Charlie hugged him again, squeezing as tight as she could. Lucifer frowned a bit, but returned the gesture the best he could, rubbing her back. "I…I am sorry I didn't tell you before, sweetie. Really. I love you."

"I love you too" Charlie made a sound between a sniffle and a sigh, not quite a sob yet, and kissed his cheek. But when she put her hands on his shoulders, she had a determined look on her face that not even her teared up eyes could diminish. "We have Cannibal Town."

"Hell yeah we do! I knew you could do it! I told you guys that she could do it!" bragged Lucifer to the hotel residents.

"Yes, we heard you literally all afternoon" sighed Angel, rubbing his face. "We appreciated the extra help and the many, many, many pep talks, your Majesty."

"The moment you and Alasstor went off, the king just came and took charge" commented Sir Pentious.

"He screamed a couple of times too" added Niffty, giggling. "His horns came out and spit fire. It was great."

Lucifer blushed.

"They were handling Alastor's piano wrong!" justified Lucifer in front of Charlie. "Everything valuable is going to be put on the palace for safe keeping and I couldn't let them ruin it. That was the opposite of the whole point!"

Charlie smiled and gave him a quick hug as she admired around. Even the bar of Husk, that offended Lucifer’s taste so much, had been protected with bags of sand and all the bottles were behind a thick plastic.

"While you are done fortifying, how about I make dinner?" offered Alastor. "No, dear, I won't use the meat I just got" added to Charlie, who was about to ask. "This one is just for me and Lucifer. I will make something else for everyone else."

Alastor lifted the chin of Lucifer and gave him a small kiss on his lips. Lucifer put his hands around the waist of the demon for a second, letting them linger for a moment until Alastor moved again. Charlie followed his trajectory with her eyes until a sudden thought made her gasp. She made her way to the stairs, avoiding the imps carrying valuables through an open portal.

"I forgot something important!" announced before she dissapeared through a door.

Lucifer looked at Vaggie, hoping some kind of clarification. Vaggie seemed just as confused as he was for a second, only for a smile to spread on her face.

“We brought some things back from our trip” explained. “We uh… planned to show you yesterday but…”

“Souvenirs?!” Lucifer got excited regardless, saving her from dwelling on it. “I love souvenirs! Aww, you shouldn't have!”

“Where should we put all these boxes, ma'am?” asked a Carmine's employee. Sir Pentious was admiring all that cargo with big shiny eyes, as if in love, but not daring to touch it.

“Sir Pentious” called Vaggie. The man blinked away from the spell to look at her. “How about you take care of placing our weapons? I only ever had my spear so I imagine you must have some more experience handling multiples ones.”

“REALLY?” Sir Pentious positively shaked in place.

“Sure. He is the one to listen” Vaggie said to the Camine's people.

Sir Pentious immediately asked what kind of weapons they were bringing. Angel asked for some bullets while Husk eyed at some jars full with angelic steel shavings, that could be added to his cards.

Lucifer extended his wings to keep directing the imps to protect the place. For the first time since Charlie started her little project, he felt optimistic about it. That morning when the sinners said they weren't just going to up and leave now, he was starting to see by himself the influence of Charlie on them. Heaven wasn't the goal, but fighting for something, with someone, was still valuable enough to make a stand. Seeing them all cooperate with each other made him believe that maybe, just maybe, even his curse of only seeing the worst of humanity could change.

--

The dinner itself ended up moving to the lobby when Charlie had the idea of inviting all the servants too. Lucifer set up a large table and multiplied a bunch of chairs until everyone was seat. Likewise, he multiplied the dishes that Alastor made to be distributed between everyone. They imps weren't going to be with them for the final battle, but they had worked the entire day and Charlie wanted to compensate them for it. Alastor let his own wine sway on his glass as Lucifer gave everyone a full plate, happily announcing that they could always get seconds if they wanted to. When the praises over his good started to come in, as he expected them too, he rised his glass before taking the first sip.

"So how was it?" asked Lucifer, finally sitting at his side after attending everyone. Charlie herself was laughing and talking with the residents, so he didn't want to bother her. "Tell me everything."

"Oh, we had a minor setback at the start" commented Alastor, "but after a pep talk from Rosie, she pulled it off flawlessly. They will only ask for the bodies of our enemies."

"They can have them" affirmed Lucifer with a sneer. "Actually, you know what? If any of those fuckers touches Charlie, save a piece for me. I will shit them out happily."

Alastor swallowed up, disimulating the shiver of delight that ran through him at the complete disregard of his husband over his own species. His charming and casual cruelty was one of those things that didn't happen often, but when it did it remind him how lucky he was.

"There was also something unexpected" commented, reaching out to take the hand of Lucifer to brush at the king's ring. "Rosie now knows. Apparently I acted too fatherly to escape her eyes and then Charlie told her the rest. I trust her so she won't say a word regardless" he added, brushing his lips against the knuckles of the king.

He rather chose to omit the little prank of Rosie. Falling into the bad side of the Cannibal Overlord was never a comforting thought to have.

"You did?" Lucifer cooed. He wasn't the one so concerned about their secret being find out, that was always more Alastor's priority. "Aw, that is so sweet. I wish I have been there" He snickered lightly, locking fingers with the radio demon as he got closer as he lowered his voice. "I bet you were so hot on dad mode."

Alastor cleared his throat, looking away.

"You were busy here too" commented.

"Well, of course I was!" preened Lucifer, looking satisfied with himself. "My daughter and husband are going out for an actual army, Vaggie was out getting weapons and I was supposed to stay on my ass the entire day waiting? I had to do something too…" The face of Lucifer fell a little", since I won't be able to do anything that day. Unless they hurt her, that is…"

"Which won't happen" added Alastor, kissing his forehead as a charm to dispells darker thoughts.

Lucifer smiled softly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You won't let it happen. Big bad sexy radio demon and all."

"Exactly" Alastor nodded and looked around the table. They were all a strange group, no doubt about it, but a unified front nonetheless. Husk even smiled more than usual as he showed to the imps some magic tricks. He didn't even need to pull out the contract to keep him there. Seeing them all together like that, maybe a little bit of optimism wasn't that misplaced. "Now let us eat, love."

Eat they did.

Once all the plates were cleared, Lucifer opened up a portal to let the imps return to the palace to take a well deserved rest before resuming their duties the next day. The sinners likewise announced they were going to bed, all the while Niffty cleaned up the table as a little red thunder going from side to side.

Vaggie yawned into her hand and nuzzled against Charlie as they exchanged some words. Lucifer, right at their other side, pretended to not be interested at all when Vaggie stand up from her chair.

"I will be heading to bed now. Good night, your highness" Vaggie bowed her head slightly before going to the stairs.

"Good night, sweetheart! Have a good rest, you deserve it for what you did today! We are so lucky to count with you!" responded Lucifer loudly and he nodded to himself when he could hear Vaggie almost tripping with her own feet. He turned to Charlie with a smirk. "I am totally nailing this father in law thing! Don't worry, sweetie, she will feel part of this family one way or another."

Charlie snorted.

"Alright, papa, thank you" She said before she inclined to a side, pulling up a bag that they had seen before.

The bag had a design of cartoon wings all over and a logo advertising heaven just in case they wondered from where it came.

"Well, as you both know, we did managed to talk with grandma and have a coffee with her. She had never forgotten about either of you, so when I told her who I was she literally was "oh thank goodness, I thought I was going insane for a second there and seeing aparitions already." She was so happy to hear about how I came to be and how you were the best parents I could ever ask for! And you know what she said?" Charlie didn't wait for an answer before she followed up, making an actually decent imitation of the accent of her grandma. "I always knew Alastor was going to be a good father. And if I known I was a grandma, I would have always had all the candy he didn't want you to have in hand just for you." She showed me this quant little candy shop and told me to grab anything I could want, because they don't handle money up in Heaven anyway so it's all for the taken! How amazing is that"

Charlie pulled out a large box of bombons, giving it to Lucifer. Most of the bombons were already gone.

"These were her personal favorites. They are so filling, though, so we couldn't finish between the three of us. Then she insisted on getting me a hat because I gave her one and this is what I got!" She put her head inside of the bag, coming out with a fake halo around a white and blue hat. "Isn't it cute? She made me pose for a bunch of pictures for her to show all her friends! That is not the best part, though!"

Charlie then opened up the bag further and put her hand in, far deeper than what the bag should be allowing to for what it looked from the outside. When she finally touched what she was looking for, she quickly put it on her back.

"She said that she one of her hobbies is knitting and crochet. In fact, she took after it after the reunion with dad because she wanted to make something to commemorate it. It took her months to get the hang of it, but she finally made something to represent the two of you and she wanted for you to have it. See!" She then showed the content of her hand to them.

They were a pair of circular dolls made out of yarn, almost blobs, with little limbs and details. One of them was all red with eyes pointing in different directions and a small plastic monocle glued to the side, large cat looking ears standing up from the head. The other doll was smaller, basically the same body, but with yellow eyes with large red pupils and a charm of an apple hanging from it's neck with a red ribbon.

"Aren't these the most precious things you have ever seen in your life?" cooed Charlie, rubbing the two dolls against her face. "She said that if she knew I was coming she would have made new and better ones with what she has learned since then, but I told her these were perfect already. It's you as kitten!"

"Aww!" Lucifer cooed, accepting the white one. It looked so goofy, but honestly that only made it all the more endearing. "So that is what they are! I thought they were little devils. I can see that now. She made these with her own hands?"

"Yes! She is so talented, papa! She had made a bunch of blankets and scarves and things! She wanted to gift me some of it too, but I had to tell her that hell was too hot so I wasn't going to get a chance to wear any of it. Here, dad" Charlie passed the red one to Alastor, who contemplated it on the same manner as recieving the first duckie from his husband.

No doubt it was going to go to the same safe with it. While Charlie excitedly showed the little bear plushie that her grandma gave her, he sniffed the little toy. A trace of lavander perfume that made him think on his mother reclining over her work, doing and undoing in order to get it right, placing the details and sewing ever so carefully. She didn't had the same artistic skill with a pencil like Lucifer, but somehow she had managed to create her own memory.

"Grandma said it was her first ever project that she finished and was happy with" commented Charlie, pulling up a couple of butterfly made of yarn as well. "These I think are supposed to go on clothing, but I will keep them just like that. Oh, and you wouldn't know what else she told me!"

Charlie ontinued on talking about the new updates with her grandma's life that Alastor didn't get to hear since the first time. The book club she organized with her friends, the baking competition they won, the pottery class that she was terrible at but it was still so relaxing to do. A full vibrant life in which she still thought about her son and the tiny eccentric man she met everyday. Now, she was adding a princess with her same eyebrows and Vaggie into her prayers.

"She was so interested on the hotel too" sighed Charlie, accepting the cup of tea that Lucifer conjured up for her. He made another one for himself and a cup of boiling hot coffee for Alastor. "I barely had to say anything to convince her about the rehabilitation plan. As soon she heard about it, she was sure it could be done. It was… a nice change of pace, honestly" She looked down for a second, a faint smile still on her face. "I really liked her. Do you think I could ever see her again?"

"Well…" started Lucifer, not sure of how to respond, when Alastor went instead.

"Why not?" said with a light chuckle. "We shouldn't have met her at all and yet we did. If we already defied our chances once, who says we can't do it again?"

"Can't argue with that logic" admitted Lucifer, scratching his neck. He didn't want to give his daughter any false hope, but Alastor was right, weirder things had happened already. "Maybe someday, sweetie."

"I will take that" Charlie drank the rest of her tea as if it was whisky, lighting up her eyes again.

[radicheart-a]

So much for practicing what she preached. Not that Alastor holds it against her, by any means. It's perfectly alright to indulge in one's vices once in a while. Hell, he occasionally indulges too much. Of the seven deadly sins, his third worst one would definitely be gluttony, bested only by wrath (second) and pride (first).

He's too caught up in his own thoughts to notice when Charlie stumbles his way, left elbow leaned back against Husk's bar while the right hand idly swirls the glass of whiskey he'd procured for himself. It's only when she calls out to him that he takes notice -- and by then, it's too late.

She trips over her own feet, and instinct has Alastor quickly setting his glass in the bar so he can move to catch her. Black nailed fingers grip at the lapels of his vest, and his own sharp fingers take hold of her hips with firmness, but gentleness.

And then, her lips meet his freckled cheek.

Sound fades, and everyone else seems to disappear, if only for a moment. The sensation of her painted lips on his skin lingers even after she pulls away and leans on him. His heart stopped beating 90 years ago, and yet, in this moment, Alastor swears he feels it pounding in his ribcage.

He knows what that feeling is...and it frightens him.

"Do be careful, darling!" he warns, keeping his chipper voice and demeanor despite his inner conflict. "You very nearly got better acquainted with the tiles!"

His microphone laughs from its nearby position against the bar. It helps keep him grounded in the moment.

"Are you alright? Perhaps you should have a sit down here at the bar with me. Husker!" He snaps his fingers, earning an annoyed grunt from the feline while he guides Charlie to sit on the stool beside his own. "A glass of water, if you please!"

@erthlyheavn

kiss roulette

@radicheart said: 🎲 (for Niffty, Charlie, and/or Vaggie)

42. A clumsy kiss

Charlie could never hold her alcohol that well. But it was a time for celebration! The hotel had gotten a second resident other than Angel Dust. How could she not throw a party to celebrate the occasion? Granted, she might have gone a bit overboard...and even going so far as to allow alcohol for the occasion. As long as it was moderation.

So much for practicing what she preached.

In her inebriated mind she thought it would be a great idea to kiss someone and...Alastor happened to be nearby. Stumbling her way towards him she didn't much of a warning other than a "Hey, Al!" and proceeding to trip over her own to feet. She fumbled, blindly groping onto the Radio Demon's clothes and her lips made contact with his cheek.

[fxiled-fxithful]

Previous Cycle. . . . Year - 1925

Angela steps out of a ballroom in Heaven, a crystal staircase causes her light steps to echo for a moment until she finds herself near a transparent fountain that allows any who gazes into the depths to see into the mortal realm and a few choice places in the Pride Ring.

She took a deep breath as she rested a hand over her chest. Being surrounded by so many angels in one place was far too much for one who was far too used to working on her own. The energy in the room was overwhelming; especially knowing what tomorrow would bring.

She needed to center herself. Tomorrow was a big day and her attention required her to be focused at all times. "You know, there's no shame in enjoying the company of one's peers.."

A soft and welcoming male voice sounded behind her. She knew that voice anywhere, no matter the cycle.

The corner of her lips curved for just a moment, but she didn't bother to turn her head as his visage appeared beside her in the reflection of the fountain.

"Hmn..and I suppose you consider yourself among them, Uriel?" A soft chuckle slips from her lips, "You know as well as I do what happens tomorrow. Every angel and demon will be turned to dust. Neither have proven to be worthy of saving in this cycle."

There was a visible roll of the eyes from the other, scoffing at Angela's words.

"You're still on about that, are you? You don't truly think Father would purposely harm his own creations, do you? We are beings of the Light and Righteous. We have committed no fault and shall forever remain as a monument of prosperity."

Her cold icy gaze turned to him,"If that is how you truly feel then this cycle is done for. I have no pity for those who will not listen to reason. For all your knowledge and wisdom, you refuse to see the truth. War will be at your doorstep at dawn. I pray that you will learn the error of your ways..old friend."

The blond angel narrowed his own eyes at Angela. He didn't quite like where this conversation was going, if a conversation is what you would call it. He reached out for her left forearm, "Hold it. When we were first introduced two months ago, you claimed to be God's Messenger. Are you telling me that you weren't lying back then?"

Angela looked away from him as she secretly used her ice and snow to cool her self until the touch of her own skin would burn his hand with frostbite.

"I have taken an oath to never speak a lie upon my duty to serve God. I would certainly never lie about being his messenger."

She closed her eyes," Do you recall that battle that took place two weeks ago? You should consider yourself lucky for having so few casualties. At least Hell is taking this business seriously...but it will not be enough. Both Heaven and Hell must express unity. Yet the High Heavens will only acknowledge a threat if it is spelled out in front of them." Uriel then quickly pulled back his hand from her arm, feeling the bite of her frozen skin.

"What's new? Hell is always preparing for war. Be it with us or themselves. We pay them little mind, except for Charlie. I don't know why she thought it was a brilliant idea to come here and try to arrange a meeting with Sera. She's right where she belongs, behind bars."

A tired sigh leaves Angela's lips, "..and that is how Heaven will fall. Being reminded of it's own foundations is seen as a crime and none will thank you for it. Charlie is a key of unity. She sought out an audience with Sera to bring the powers of Heaven and Hell together. Yet, she is met with bars and chains. You lot must be ashamed of yourselves. Her purpose is greater than your own." She takes a moment to remove a promise ring off of her left hand and carefully takes his right to place the ring inside his palm.

"I had hoped that my influence towards you would allow this cycle a chance. Your voice speaks louder than mine, dearest Uriel. However, that power has gone to your head and you ignore the danger before you. I cannot find peace with one who does not listen. There is a smoke among your bright flame. Though I had hoped to settle in this time, I see now that there is no place for me here. This is goodbye, Uriel. I pray that that you make amends with God before your final hour."

Before she could allow him to say another word, she disappears in white flash with only a few white feathers left in her wake where she once stood.

Angela reappeared before the jail in Heaven, but paused in her steps as she felt a familiar shadow near by.

"You know, it's rude to eavesdrop."

A shadowed figure steps to her side, a small smile given from under a black cloak from a dark feminine figure. It was none other than Lady Death herself. Azrael.

"You know me, Angela. I like to be well informed." The smile she wore died, glancing towards the jail, "So..we really are going to have a war then? So much for having a vacation."

"You can always flee. I know you're wonderful at doing that."

"Hardy har har..very funny. I didn't flee, I left due to a need to mend my wings." She gave Angela a light nudge, "Are you sure you want to do this? Heaven won't forgive you if you try to release one of their prisoners, especially one who's a Princess of Hell."

"The only Heaven I cared about is long gone, turned to ash within the flames of judgement. I am but a messenger and thus, I must ensure that the key of unity is free. Follow if you wish, but do not stand in my way."

With that, she steps inside, freezing every guard she comes in contact with, always checking for keys - but none carried any, not even the Captain of the Prison Guard.

She did, however, find Charlie's cell. There was a singular chair she was strapped into with a pair of black glasses over her eyes. Angela's heart sank. Strapped in to face a faux paradise so she would forget to go home or worry about why she came to plead her case to Heaven to begin with.

But the bars for Charlie's cell were tough to move on her.

"Stand back!"

Angela quickly stands to the side and allows Azrael to use her scythe to cut through the bars for the door. Metal bars fell as she held a hand out for Angela to walk in. Smiling a little, she walks into Charlie's cell. Kneeling before the child, she carefully pulls the rose colored shades off of her eyes.

"Hello Charlie..I'm here to get you back home. Just remain still for a moment."

As expected, the Princess was disoriented and her eyes remained cloudy. Something she would take advantage of as she removed the bindings around Charlie's legs and arms. Once off, Angela carried the young demon and teleported herself to Hell, just outside of her father's home. Angela took a moment to help Charlie stand upright before knocking on the door.

Thankfully, a maid answered the door, who immediately sent word to Lucifer of her return while helping Angela bring her inside. In a matter of seconds, Lucifer was at his daughter's side. Seeing the family, or what was left of it, together again, was heartwarming.

Just as Angela was about to leave, Lucifer left his daughter's side for a moment to have a word with the angel. He thanked her for bringing his daughter home. After losing his beloved Lilith in a battle two weeks ago in Heaven to aid them in a fight - only to be shot down by angelic by standards and have his daughter imprisoned for seeking out peace not long after watching her own mother fall at their hands, he felt lost. With Charlie back, he finally felt as if he had a semi sense of normalcy.

Angela could only smile as she gave him a blessing for protection and true strike for the start of his battle come morning.

Their cycle may be doomed to fail, but there was no harm in offering a glimmer of hope for the future.

With a final farewell, Angela made her way back to God's side.

No feathers of aid were offered, no mutterings of prayer to summon her. No, she would like to see if Heaven and Hell could look past their differences to work together as one - complete unity.

Unfortunately, Heaven was too proud to accept any help from those from Hell, despite how much they were willing to look past their differences.

This cycle deserved to crumble and burn to ash. There were so few sympathies for any, leaving no soul for herself to mourn over.

Not Uriel, Charlie, Lucifer or even Lady Death...

[liminal-zone]

Fanfic roundup 2022

(2021 round up)

LIST OF FANWORKS

Posted:

dependence (The Matrix | Neo/Trinity | codependency | rated NR)

See your enemy (The Matrix | Neo/Trinity, Trinity+Smith | the one that got away | rated M)

But mine is as hungry as the sea (LOTR | Galadriel/Sauron | a millennia of dreams | rated E)

i��d like to hold her head underwater (LOTR | Galadriel/Sauron | kissin’ and makin’ oaths| rated M)

That’s the whole ice cream cone (LOTR RPF | Charlie/Morfydd | scholarship is sexy | rated M) (ao3 locked)

Crave (LOTR | Galadriel/Sauron | tentacles | rated E) (wip to update v soon)

WIPs:

LOTR: an earnest take on the celeborn custody battle crack (posting soon)

LOTR: Dark Galadriel and the dyad rings - teases here

LOTR: healing generational trauma with fourth age Arwen and her peepaw

The Matrix: Trinity and Smith as mirrors - tease here

MCU: the final conclusion of my winterbaron sugar daddy fic

MCU: a full horror Time Variance Authority Trash Party with stucky rising

Total number of completed works/fandoms written in: six completed works in 2022 for a total of just over 15k words; two for The Matrix, three for LOTR, and one RPF. 

OVERALL THOUGHTS: What a strange year! The Matrix fics were essentially remixes and the LOTR fics were essentially a fever dream zeitgeist high. I wish that I could have a more steady creative process???? But I’m very proud of the creative work this year and the madness I felt in writing these fics.

PERSONAL FAVORITE: The moment in “I’d like to hold her head underwater” where Galadriel has a fantasy of fucking Halbrand into a dying Sauron’s armored body. “And wonderfully, exquisitely, she feels that weak dark spirit shamed at the ignominy of this dark choice.” FUCKING A, LIZZEN.

MOST UNDERAPPRECIATED: I actually feel quite happy with the appreciation I received for all of my fics this year. The kudos may be low on The Matrix ones but my matrix fam had wonderful things to say about them. Britomart keeps tagging me in a discord server as she introduces folk to “See your enemy”, the best. Crave could use more love but LET’S BE REAL. CRAVE COULD DESERVE A FUCKING NEXT CHAPTER, YA COCK TEASE.

MOST POPULAR: “But mine is as hungry as the sea” by every metric. It’s incredible, do NOT get me wrong, I love the shit out of this fic, it truly was a demon I had to exorcize into gorgeous words and tragic romantic angst – BUT it’s popular bcs I gamed the zeitgeist timing LETTUCE BE QUITE REAL. In my old age, I’m very wise to the methodologies of fic popularity. XX

STORY WITH THE SEXIEST MOMENT: So, what I love the best about  “But mine is as hungry as the sea” is that I couldn’t have Gal and Hal talk to each other if at the VERY least he was finger banging her. AT THE VERY LEAST. Like. My parody version of that fic is them having benign boring conversations as he’s three fingers in and she’s lost count of how much she’s come. Second place is the same fic where I talk about her being sticky and him shaking BECAUSE I AM TRASH (affectionate). 

MOST FUN STORY TO WRITE: The posted chapter of Crave was such a fun time. The bulk of it just flowed out of me in like an HOUR. I just love monsterfucking and a woman who is AS HUNGRY AS THE SEA. It just had so much delicious promise. UGHHH, so much fun.

HARDEST: Hahahahahaha the unposted finish to Crave. What have I done. Writing a kink with specific tropes for a pairing where I am resistant to those tropes being used with them? HAHAHAHAH. WHAT AM I DOING. (I’ll make it work and people will like it or they won’t!). 

BIGGEST SURPRISE: Having the exact same fever dream zeitgeist high while writing like I did after TLJ in December 2017. I thought that was like a cocaine high and I’d never feel it again. I THOUGHT I WAS DEAD INSIDE. (I’m back to being a little dead inside so…. that’s…….. fun for me and my therapist.) (WORKING ON IT.)

DID YOU TAKE ANY RISKS IN WRITING THIS YEAR? Writing the first RPF fic for The Rings of Power. NEW LOTRPS JUST DROPPED, BAYBEEEE. It was initially locked, but then I opened it back up because I was like, “this fandom can behave with rpf, right?” Hahaha, nah bro, so it’s locked up again and I’m unlikely to write another (until there’s new irl canon i guess?). 

MOST UNINTENTIONALLY TELLING STORY: Y’all here know how I feel about Charlie’s Sauron scholarship, so you can’t be surprised that I have Morfydd jump him immediately after she learns about it. SHRUG!

FAVORITE LINES/SCENES: Honestly, the entire tease for the Trinity + Groff!Smith. Fucking brilliant work. “I accept your terms,” she says. “I didn’t make any,” he says, weak. “Exactly,” she replies.

2023 WRITING AMBITIONS: Write more steadily and consistently. Get back into the drabble mode. Make time, take time, just do it. It doesn’t have to be groundbreaking, it just has to be creating something. The joy of creation is like nothing else. Chase that high.

[hazbincalifornia]

Charlie’s vision of heaven in 'Inside of Every Demon is a Rainbow' is a land of ice cream mountains, lollipop trees and cotton candy clouds…girl i see you, she's def a sweet-tooth foodie with an appetite!

Hey, she knows what she likes!

[mrmajesticcircle]

Dashaun Olynuk

He's quiet at his defense.

His dreams are now permanent, not changing!

Sound in his mind of the sandcastle, white moon raising the turquoise tides, to wash away the machines craftsmanship to the architectural patterns once upon a time the strong hands thy made, wooden beams, high liberal ceilings, and safety proof domes adjacent to the foyer.

Tossed upside down across the backyard, like fuck it.

I'm going out of style and all, my mindset is going to a whole new level of fuck the powers that be.

I won't ever wait, but waist your time looking for the healing powers of the sparrow, fly in to me high.

Standing up pigeon toed with roasted Carmel complected, salted almond flavored charlie horses, of rolling in the vineyard too long, trying to find my way back to his Dashaun Olynuk.

There's a difference between.

Driving that defies.

Disturbance to Dial, when the silence is too alive.

A destiny unborn.

Determination unwon.

A king's decree.

Degree of no return; No matter the details, the decree of the Demon King, unknown.

Not a word from Hitler, that's what the Bible says, it's written in red, like the revelation you can understand.

The silver fang punctuation, a semicolon, the Devil's claw, the symbol to transcend into the underground

The Democratic party is the Demonic order we obliged for the winter in the hall of Baal.

It's such a beautiful friend we must share a common initial, and now by law together we are a army.

It's a sign to yield, as you pause for the moment, as you wait to exhale from exhaustion, we a Frontline in high matrimony are now the Doctors orders, the reason you're threatening to yourself.

Dashaun Olynuk.

I'm your imaginary machine, cold something put fat away, not even mine.

Daydreaming your silver wool will shine every evening, we may not have any fight inside, when the ice begins to melt away from our heads lost in this shadow of disparity.

Don't deny I'm your imaginary pride and envy; don't deny me.

We are as one, but of opposing galactic light-years far away from natural!

His name is Dashaun Olynuk looking forward to turn the wheels off the world to force everyone to get a eye full of him through the lense.

He's so arrogant and confident, and confused about whether he belongs, maybe it's supernatural superstition, scrutiny, or coincidental why you or the face of something much more advanced than my artificial intelligence can overwrite me down to my fingernails.

Maybe if you stare in the mirror of what you want too hard, your life plays mind games on you.

I don't know if it's to play a peculiar prank on me.

I don't know if it's for God's humorous lie.

I don't think it's to piss me off, I have been taught to fall all over him!

There's definitely something strange going on with me, I hesitate in the convoying rural areas sitting low on every corner of the desolate earth.

One not hither before me, but mocking my footsteps, slow walking me down through the hidden valley, carrying a hidden agenda to torture my mind, and conquer the best of me.

You don't or you do know where to find me hiding from the sun, with summer drawing nigh.

Because if I ever was Dashaun Olynuk, I would want to rest my bird's-nest in the shade.

Pouring out my sins, my mechanical lights, to find my equal other Dashaun Olynuk, turning solid matter into Ivory black crystal.

Hollow out the stoney adversity ahead, do a rain dance to bestow the power lines; beating you down for indivisible rights, and a place high in the euphoric sky!

I hope you're now.

Going with me.

Not bowing down to the winds, no matter how hard they howl, or bitter it brings unease.

I know that you're black in your heart, there's nothing inside, no room but for the head Prescott.

Waving chef knives,

Everyone is fighting for the crown; the throne is up for the taking!

It's a constant tug of war for the queen's heart, how to turn it around from the Sigmond finger waves, stretched out on the starry night.

I want to be the mathematician at bay, painting the right amount of pigmentation, a rae of motion by the color of the night!

It's getting zone free out here, people feel they can invade your personal bubble sky, but in your hands you hold me tight; hold me high; hold me close, I hold you to it.

On your shoulder I don't have to worry about how to swim across fire.

I find refuge; I'm a regular refugee trying to start over with a clean slate.

When I lock into your eyes I see, love doesn't matter at all, when everything seems so small.

All of my life I shimmer and watch the hours fade away to wonder will you bridge the equation in our minds, think it would be nice to connect the dots to find out what's ripe?

I don't have the dollar bills for a relationship us, not even in the ironic landmine of poltergeists.

Is it wrong for me to want to that is only me, does it sound immortal like pride?

I can't afford to be him.

Do you watch over me?

There's a forbidden entity where Deuteronomy plays, a new again culture when midwives prey.

On every single day another lay, best institutionalized between chasing education, and flowers of May.

Aboard the mayflower to Mayfield Lane, the one way journey impossible with or without the eyes of Dashaun Olynuk overlying the prejudice cult we all were deceived to practice, like practitioners.

This country we turn against ourselves; a king's disease, bleeding monsters to steal our souls, wearing our biological, and physical make up, our skin.

Face Shields to replace our purpose, separate our fate, and overcome us all throughout the Shawn's of our past.

Doesn't sound like it is simply beautiful enough to make us run to the top of a tower.

Throwing ourselves away, plunging into the concrete to an instant death, from falling approximately of a steel building standing up around one hundred stories high, I'm hymn.

I'm him, standing to the hem of my oppressing brethren, upon a defensive Christ, at fault.

I'll follow you if you follow me!

You're the Sun agent.

Army of Ra.

I'll break right through, if you break through me!

I'll breathe right through, if you breathe through me!

I'll follow you; if you follow me!

I've been down in a cell of long-suffering, just as far as the eye can go.

I'll break right through, if you need me to!

Authorship by Mr Dashaun Rashod Snipes

©Mr. Dashaun Rashod Snipes

[youcouldbeit]

"I immediately walk in to talks about dicks..." She's not surprised at this point, true, but it would have been nice to come to talk of something less... the norm.

[radi0activesmile]

angel-dust-addict​:

Alastor confirmed each thing Angel mentioned and the spider couldn’t help the unease that bubbled up alongside his sense of gratitude. He could be unnerved but still grateful. It was a strange combination, but they weren’t really mutually exclusive.

Six hours. Six hours he’d been unconscious. He accepted the ice pack gratefully, pressing it to his shoulder with a wince, and looked up at Alastor again. “Did ya stay that whole time? I mean, I guess I ain’t disturbin’ yer readin’ if I’m out cold, but I didn’t really, ya know, expect ya ta stay. Figured ya’d leave afta’ I wasn’t bleedin’ everywhere anymore.”

There was, perhaps, a bit of melancholy to his tone. As much as he was unnerved by the thought of someone being around while he was unconscious, the thought that no one would care enough to be was also depressing. But he really hadn’t expected Alastor to stay. Had it been Charlie, it might not have surprised him. But he hadn’t figured Alastor would.

His anxiety crept into his voice a little as he gestured to the nightgown again and asked, “So ya managed all'a this with magic?”

That wasn’t what he actually wanted to ask. He wanted to know what Alastor had done. How he had handled all of this. Just to set himself a little more at ease.

He won’t admit it, but Alastor himself didn’t expect to stay. Stopping the bleeding and cleaning Angel’s fur such that he didn’t awaken matted down, filthy, and feeling the need to drag himself back to that bathtub to wash off the reminder of his torture was his plan from the get-go, as was placing him somewhere more comfortable than a cold, hard bathtub. 

No one (with the possible exception of Charlie) would have blamed him for leaving after that. Yet, the idea of leaving Angel to awaken in his bed, either completely unclothed or only wearing that bloodied skirt, was an unpleasant one. Especially considering what Angel has implied about his work and how others treat him. There is no need for Angel to wake up within the hotel unclothed, in pain, and alone. 

Alastor tucks his raised leg over his knee. Angel’s tone is coming through loud and clear; something Alastor did frightened him-- or, at the very least, made him very nervous. Did he think Alastor took advantage of his unconscious state? Ah. Perhaps. Again, Alastor reminds himself that Angel has no reason to believe he is any different than any other demon who has power over him. Yes, Alastor said he had no interest in such things, but lying came as naturally as breathing to sinners. Who’s to say Alastor didn’t say such things so that Angel would let his guard down? So that he could swoop in and do something to him under the guise of helping him? 

Before answering, Alastor uses the same magic he used to place the nightgown onto Angel’s body to make a top hat appear on his head and a tailcoat appear over his own body, the same ones he had appear when he sang his reprise of Charlie’s Inside of Every Demon song. If nothing else, this showcases how easy it is for him to make such things appear without even the smallest contact. “Of course.”

The shadow startled Angel a little, but its resemblance to Alastor made it clear what it was. Freaky-ass magic mumbo jumbo, clearly, but it wasn't dangerous. To him. He had no doubt it could be dangerous.

"Yeah, about dat," Angel began awkwardly when Alastor assured him they were nearly there. "I, uh, look, ya know what I do. And some'a that ends up comin' home wit' me. So just ignore any'a that. It'll be betta' fa' both our sanity."

There was no squealing nor clatter of tiny hooves, which meant Charlie probably still had Fat Nuggets. That was good. As much as Angel wanted to just curl up, cuddle the little pig, and go to sleep, there was a great deal of unpleasantness to deal with before he could consider doing that. Not all of which he was guaranteed to be conscious for. That unnerved him, but he really had no choice in the matter at this point. His head was spinning and he wasn't actually supporting most of his own weight anymore.

As they crossed the threshold, he took stock of the room as best he could. There weren't too many things sitting out, but there were a few. If he'd had the blood to spare, he might have blushed in embarrassment, but he didn't. That was most of the current problems.

"Bathroom's pro'lly tha best fa' this. 'S brighta' an' easia' ta clean up tha blood," he suggested tiredly. He was starting to be glad he had taken Alastor's offer of help.

[scnfuldreams]

🔥 What are your muse’s turn-ons? //Charlie

Charlie has plenty, I would say she LOVES lingerie, esp the cute lacey kind and even frills! Just makes her feel like she's unwrapping a present <3

[swcctdreams]

"Could I check in please?" hellcasted for charlie

A guest? A guest!! Charlie felt her energy spark up just hearing that, "Why of course, I'd love to check you into the happy hotel. It's SO nice to meet you." She placed a sheet of paper with a grin, "Mind telling me your name?"

[radioshot]

BROADCASTING! Tag dump time fellas ! ! Here we go ! !