Well...this was something.
You know, when Charlie had her hotel in mind, she hadn't planned on any overlords showing up at the front door, let alone twice in a row…
FIrst Alastor...and then Vox.
Yeah, that Vox. The TV Demon. One of the most powerful Overlords in Hell. The one and only Vox who ruled an entire multimedia empire with an iron fist…
Or at least he did until Valentino decided to boot him out of the Three V's. It sounded unbelievable but Vox had truly arrived at the Hotel's door, dragging himself to the front door with the most miserable expression on his face. The Hotel was clearly his last option in places to visit.
Of course, the other Hazbins, mostly Alastor and Vaggie for their own specific reasons, didn't want Vox staying and tried to convince Charlie to kick him out. Charlie stood her ground and refused to give into the peer pressure, claiming that she wasn't going to turn down a demon in need, no matter who they were and that Vox was under her protection and that if anyone had opinions otherwise they'd have to deal with her.
As you could expect, absolutely no one, not even Alastor dared to question her authority and Vox was allowed to stay, much to Alastor and Vaggie's dismay.
It had been a month since Vox had arrived and frankly, things weren't all too great for Charlie. Vaggie and her were...on break. Mainly because Vaggie just wouldn't stop talking about how she feared Vox's presence would compromise the plan and that they already had one nuisance(Alastor) and that Vox would just sabatoge everything once he got enough wiggle room. Charlie chimed into Vox's defense, claiming that he hadn't done anything and that Vaggie was being paranoid though this did little to stop Vaggie from shouting that Vox's presence was bad news and that she needed to kick him out before he pulled something.
This led to an argument and Charlie ultimately decided to tell Vaggie that if they couldn't see eye to eye, that perhaps a break was necessary. It had been a week since that conversation and neither her or Vaggie had spoken to each other and it felt rather lonely now that her ex wasn't around.
She wasn't certain if she made the right call, breaking up with her girlfriend for someone who she hardly knew but she figured that if things ultimately didn't mend that she could go look for other people when she was ready….
Still, she was far from that and Charlie was downright miserable as she laid her head on the bar counter,"Ugh...life fucking sucks…"
"Tell me what about it, Princess…"
Charlie jumped, her head whipping around to see Vox sitting right beside her."Eeeek!"
"Did I scare you?"
"Yes!" She hissed,"Seriously, give a girl a warning before you just sneak up on me like that!"
""I didn't sneak up on you, I was just taking a seat…"
"Could've made it more obvious…" She huffed.
"Sheesh, what's with you? Last I checked you're usually all rainbows and sunshine. What crawled up your ass to make you like this?"
"Oh nothing...It's just me and Vag are….on break and it's taking it's toll on me…"
"You miss her?"
"Course I do...She is...was my girlfriend…"
"Do you plan on getting together with her?"
She rubbed the back of her neck nervously, uncertain how to respond to his question,"I...I'm not sure. I've never really done breaks before with relationships. She and I usually manage to sort things out and I'm not certain we can mend this bridge…"
"What was this disagreement about again?"
"You…"
"What? Me? What do I have to do with this?"
"Vaggie doesn't really like you…"
"Oh I know," Vox replied flatly,"I figured that out when that rat had the nerve to shove her spear in my face when I first got here. Could tell she wasn't very fond of me right off the bat from there…"
"Vaggie's kind of like that…" She said,"She did the same thing to Al when he got here…"
"Figures. I'm impressed she hasn't gotten herself killed with her aggressive nature. It's pure luck she hasn't pissed off the wrong person and got annihilated by now with how willing she is to throw that spear in people's faces. Had I not been desperate I would've given her a piece of my fucking mind back there…"
"Vaggie's aggressive but she really means well. She just wants to protect me…"
"Like you need it," Vox scoffed,"You're the Devil's daughter, you don't really need her protection. You could kick everyone's asses if you felt like it…"
"I know, but I really don't like doing that and Vaggie helps with that…'' She mumbled,"It's just that now, she's gotten rather irritable and I'm not really sure what to do with her. She didn't like it when Al showed up and now that you're here, her mood's taken a turn for the worst. I tried to argue in your favor but all I did was make her upset…"
"Wait...you did all that to defend me? Why?"
"As I said before, I want to give every demon who shows up at my Hotel a chance. I gave Alastor one despite his...less than sincere motives and it'd be hypocritical if I didn't offer you the same chance,especially in your time of need…."
"Thanks...I don't know why you care that much, you hardly know me but I appreciate the gesture…"
"Someone has to care down here…" She sighed wearily,"Because if not me, who will?"
"Fair point…" Vox shrugged,"Still, what do you plan on doing now that you and Vaggie split up?"
"I don't know..Maybe try and advertise my hotel again assuming I don't get laughed out of the room again…"
"I don't know about that one, Princess. Considering how atrocious your performance was, I don't think advertising will do you any good. You can't sell a product nobody wants, especially since you're doing this off the seat of your pants. This Redemption thing is more or less a 'see whatever sticks' type of program and you don't seem like you have any idea what you're doing…"
"Yeah, I know...I've heard that a lot. Probably cuz it's true. I really don't know what I'm doing. I'm just hoping that we can at least get this to work somehow. I know not everyone can get redeemed but for those who show potential, I at least want it to work for them. Though I'm not certain that's a possibility now that I blew my chances on air. Everyone considers me a laughing stock…"
"I'll tell you something, Charlie. People down here don't tend to like being told what to do. As far as they're considered you're just some dumb blonde attempted to take their vices away. Singing a song about rainbows and cupcakes did absolutely nothing but tarnish you even further…"
"Yeah...I know..I was just hoping that maybe I could liven things up but I suppose Hell's target audience don't care much for musicals...At least not the kind I sing anyway…."
"Musicals and Hell don't really mix. Most down here are either jaded at best or malicious at worst, these people aren't going to respond well to you trying to take their toys away from them. People gave up having hope years ago so the proposition of a better future is seen as absurd...and it kind of is given what this place is…"
"I am at least trying. It's not much but I at least have others around to make this bearable. Especially since I have a friend like you around…"
"You consider me a friend?" He asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, course I do! Everyone at the Hotel is my friend and you've been rather complacent with us since you got here! Why wouldn't I consider a guest at my hotel a friend?"
"I just didn't think you'd consider me one...Especially since I didn't think I had any friends here…"
"What do you mean? Haven't you tried befriending anyone here?"
"I did…" He said,"It's just that everyone here at this Hotel doesn't like me. Bambi hates my guts and the feeling is mutual on my part. The cat and the little maid keep their distance and don't seem to like talking to they are with Alastor, it's likely he's telling them not to engage with me on purpose. Vaggie despise my very being and Angel Dust is cautious around me. About the only person who doesn't' treat me like some sort of threat is you and those weird goat creatures you have running around…"
"Oh you mean Razzle and Dazzle? They're pretty friendly as long as you don't upset them...or take their food. I'm sorry everyone's treating you like this but I assure you it'll get better over time…"
"Yeah yeah, sure it will…."
"Vox, come on," She said, patting his shoulder,"Don't be like that. This is a place for improvement and for improvement to happen you need to make friends…"
"But I don't want to be friends with these people. They hate my guts and I already have enough problems as it is…"
"What do you mean?"
"Charlie, you do remember why I came here right?"
"Because Val kicked you out of the group?"
"Yeah, and do you know why that is?"
"No…You never really went into specifics of why Val kicked you out…"
"I'll tell you why. Val was being a dick as usual and we got into a fight. Bitch tried to break my screen and when he went to hit me, something snapped and I...I fought back. It was on instinct and when we realized what happened, Val flipped his shit and started screaming like a maniac to get out of his Studio or else he'll kill me. I didn't even have time to pack or take anything with me, Val was about to go full demon form on my ass and I had to high-tail it out of there to ensure he didn't beat my screen in…"
"So why'd you come here?"
"Because Val's bitchy attitude ended up fucking me over. He cut me off from him and while I still have my shit, us breaking the Triple V hurt us all financially. He's basically doing his own thing now and he claims he doesn't need me anymore. Val swore if I showed my face around him he'd be sure to put a holy bullet through my skull and that I better watch my back. I didn't want to risk running into him on the streets so I figured this Hotel would keep Val at bay and so far it's worked…"
"Do you see any future for yourself here?"
"Well...I'm pretty much on my own now. Velvet is probably taking care of Vark and Val...he's just doing his own thing so I have to be by myself until I figure something out. This place is pretty quiet and reserved compared to Hell so I could crash here all day but I'm not too sure what my next move is, especially without Val around…"
"Do...do you miss him?"
"In a way...It feels weird not sleeping next to someone after all these years. Now that Val and I split it's just so lonely around here. Nobody here likes me except you and your goat servants and I don't think Velvet is allowed to talk to me anymore."
"Just remember, even if you don't think you have anyone else, I'll be glad to be your friend, Vox…"
"Thanks…" He grumbled before grabbing a drink and sipping it,"God, I needed this. Too many emotions running through my head for one day…"
Charlie blinked,'How did he just...do that?'
The TV Demon picked up on her stares, sending her a bewildered glance,"Something's wrong, Princess? You look confused…"
"H-How are you doing that?"
"Doing what?"
"Drinking! How are you doing that with your face? How can you eat with a flat-screen?"
"Oh this?" He chuckled,"My biology may be warped in this demonic form, but I still have my...human features in me. I can still drink or eat if I want to, it's just not really a requirement since I can just gain energy through plugs and such."
'That...makes sense…' In all the time Charlie had been with Vox, she hadn't seen him eat. She thought he didn't need to and while she was right in that regard, she was also under the assumption he couldn't eat with his TV Head anyway.
"So does that mean solid objects can go through your screen?"
"Depends on what it is," He admitted,"Some things will, some things won't. All I know is that Val's fist is one of the things that CAN go through my screen and it hurts like a motherfucker…"
"How many times?"
"Hm?"
"How many times has this happened?"
"Lost count after a hundred. Val does it anytime he's upset and that doesn't take much. Bastard can go from one mood to another without warning and if you're unlucky enough to bear the brunt of his rage then you're in for a rough time.``
"Why'd you stay with him for so long, Vox?"
"Because no one else will. I've tried dating, but it doesn't work. All the girls don't seem interested in guys with TV heads and the guys...well, even if they are into it they aren't really my type. None of them fit and Val at least offered me a place to stay until now…"
"I see…Regardless, I don't think you look bad. I don't know what those girls were talking about but you look perfectly fine to me."
"Thanks...I appreciate that…"
Charlie then looked up at Vox's screen before pausing. She couldn't help but feel curious, she knew demon biology didn't always operate on logic but she couldn't help but question how Vox did certain things…
But there was one question in particular that bothered her, one that she was a bit nervous to say out loud…
"Hey Vox...can I ask you something?"
"Sure…."
"How do you kiss people?"
Vox stared at her in the basement, Charlie shrinking a little in her seat, fearing she had asked a too personal question.
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to…"
"It's fine,"He assured,"I was just caught off guard that's all. Though if you really wanna know I suppose I can show you since you're so curious…"
Vox then leaned in and grabbed Charlie by the shoulders. The Princess jolted a bit, eyes wide before relaxing. Despite Vox having a rather...flat 'face', the kiss seemed relatively normal, as if he had lips somehow despite not physically having them.
She then nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt something slithering in her mouth, jumping back and separating,"Vox! What the fuck was that? What was that thing in my mouth?"
"My tongue? He answered, sticking out his tongue, chuckling at her bemused expression,"What? You didn't think I didn't have one did you? How do you think I ate without it?"
"I didn't think it was 3D…."
"You don't know a lot about me do you?"
"Hey, it's not my fault? How am I expected to know your biology? It's not universal or anything, you're the first TV Demon I've been up and close to!"
"Think about it this way, Charlie. Do you think for a second Val would date someone who wasn't able to suck his dick?"
Charlie's mind went blank, she didn't really know Val personally(though her Dad did tell her to stay away from him like the plague and to NOT make any sort of agreements with him out of the trio), saying he was the more dangerous one. From what she heard of him, Charlie wasn't all too aware of Val's existence and preferred to avoid thinking about interacting with him.
"You're telling me the only reason Val put up with you was because you could...suck him off somehow?"
She was really trying hard not to imagine how Vox did that without his screen getting fucked up in the process…
"Pretty much, Val has a VERY self-centered view on life, even by most demon's standards. Everything exists to satisfy or benefit him and if it doesn't it needs to be thrown away. Val probably only put up with me because of the sex and because he needed money with our partnership. Guess he figured I was now too much trouble to keep around so I'm pretty much on my own…"
"At least you don't have to worry about him anymore. Val isn't gonna hurt you, not as long as I'm here. If Val wants to get to you, he's gotta get through me!"
"You're gonna go that far for me, Charlie?"
"No resident of mine is getting hurt without me having a say about it. If Valentino wants to hurt anyone here he's gotta deal with me first and I'll be damned before I let him get to you…"
"Thanks...As much as I don't care for this Redemption thing, I at least got a nice place to stay. Other places would cost a fair bit and it's at least fairly comfortable ignoring Bambi and everyone else being dicks towards me…"
"They'll come around…" She assured me,"Just know that nobody is gonna hurt you here. Not Val, not Al, no one. As long as you're signed in, you're under my protection and unless they wanna pick a fight with Princes Of Hell they better turn the other way."
"So are you gonna head upstairs and call it a night? It's getting rather late and I think even Bambi is asleep by now…"
"I don't really need to sleep. I can stay up longer than the average demon so skipping a few nights of sleep isn't an issue for me."
"Neither do I…." Vox shrugged, his TV form had rendered sleep a non-issue. Even if he did shut-down from time to time, it was never really necessary as long as he had electricity coursing through his veins…"Say Charlie, can I ask you something?"
"Yeah."
"You wanna...hang out sometime?"
"Are...are you asking me on a date?"
"Depends on what you're thinking but I wouldn't mind a date to be honest. Now that Val kicked me to the curb it's gotten rather lonely and it's not like you and Vaggie are mending the bridge so…"
"I dunno..doesn't it seem a little fast to hop into a relationship, Vox?"
"Depends on the person honestly. All I know is Val probably has another sex toy around him now that I'm gone. Ungrateful bastard was never one for a relationship and now that he doesn't have to commit he's gonna dedicate himself fully to his whores. Frankly I don't see why I can't move the fuck on since Val's made it clear just how much he 'cares' for me. I tried so hard to make the relationship work and all I get is smashed screens and petty bullshit with sex on the side. Fuck him, we're clearly incompatible with each other and the only downside is how long it took me to realize something so obvious."
"Still, you sure about me? I'm a bit...overbearing."
He scoffed,"Val's more overbearing than you by miles. If I could put up with his ass fir several decades I think you and I will be just fine…"
Charlie bit her lip, she and Vaggie had been with each other for a bit but now thst they were apart, she wasn't turned off by the idea of a new relationship.
She and Vox were both lonely and misery adored company so why not give it a chance? It wasn't like they had anything better to do…
"What time are you available?"
"Pretty much free. What about you?"
"Outside of paperwork I'm free after 2:00."
"2:30?"
"Sounds alright with me…" Charlie said, putting an alarm on her phone for the date."Any place in mind?"
"I know a good result not too far from here. It'll fit both our tastes so to speak and it's pretty neat from what I remember last I was there."
"Good…See you around, Vox. I gotta prepare for the next day…" She then gave him a small peck on his...screen? He didn't exactly have cheeks so she just chose to kiss him on the left side of the glass, leaving a black smudge of lipstick behind as she left.
Vox rubbed his screen for a moment,'Damn. Looks like I finally lucked out. Got a date with the Devil's daughter. Can't say I expected that…." He then grinned,"Knew coming here would turn my luck around. Things are going way better than I imagined. Can't wait to tell Val to go suck it online!'
Vox was practically cheering internally, celebrating in advance at the notion of telling Val to go fuck himself online and that he had someone better than all of Val's whores combined…
The only thing Vox was worried about was Lucifer. He knew Lucifer was protective over Charlie and would be hostile towards him for dating her. He doubted Charlie would let Lucifer hurt him but he knew Lucifer would be waiting for him to slip up and hurt Charlie's feelings so he could retaliate.
Not like Vox was planning on doing that. He wasn't suicidal and knew Lucifer being pissed at you was a death sentence.
Still, he decided it was best to remain cautious and walk on shells around Lucifer to ensure the Devil tolerated him.
And if things played out right, he'd be the King of Hell.
Knowing Charlie and her caring nature, she'd convince her parents to give him a boost in power so that any other royal demons wouldn't be able to walk all over him.
In other words...ultimate victory! Biggest 'Fuck you, I'm King Of The World, Bitches!' in history.
"Heh...Biggest clutch ever..Suck it Val, you can keep your whores, I got a better bitch than all of them anyway…"
Vox then went to his room to celebrate his victory, knowing he'd be the one to rub it in Val's face about it.
That and he'd finally be able to tell Alastor he's the superior one. Sure he'd have to behave for Charlie, but he was more than willing to do that if it meant a better love life and a chance to prove everyone wrong…
'Perfect, Vincent...This is your biggest win yet. Now my time to shine is really gonna happen. The headlines, the attention, it'll be on all of us and I have a cute girl to boot. This is practically Heaven already…'
And now...all he had to do was bide his time until that day came.
Not like he couldn't, Vox stopped aging years ago and now he just had to hold out long enough to show everyone who the real boss was.
He and Charlie would prove them all wrong and they would rue the day they underestimated them…
He may not have cared for her little Redemption Project but he'd be damned again if he didn't at least try and help her. She saved his ass, may as well try to help her while she's down...
Tell me what you think of this oneshot since I felt this pairing needed some love.