A/N:

Hi everyone! I hope you're all well!

While I take a small break from "Parnters" here is a one shot based on a fun piece of art from at kaccsasu_tnm on Twitter. You can find the post here - just take out the spaces : ) (Permission for writing this has already been granted by the artist). Thank you guys!

: / / twitter Kaccsasu_tnm/status/ 1398328046831165445

What Do You Want to Lose?

Angel Dust had started it.

And — if Alastor himself hadn't been the one to escalate the situation to preposterous proportions — the Radio Demon could have sworn that the scandalous spider had likewise planned from the start on how to end it.

The evening had begun simply enough. Alastor took a seat at the bar to consume some fine spirits and enjoy Husker's obligation to wait upon him and Niffty's cheerful presence whenever she got to slip a fresh coaster under Alastor's drink. This hotel was as good as his: why not revel in the acquisition? Certainly, the place still housed Charlie's wacky plan to reform sinners, but Alastor's power and money and influence were the only things giving the hotel a leg to stand on (literally and figuratively - without him to defeat Sir Pentious, the entire structure surely would have been blown to the ground). Indeed, the Radio Demon had made a fresh play in the game of dominating hell, and he was eager to see all of the nasty complications his decision would cause for every other major player in the Pentagram.

A perfectly peaceful evening.

And then Angel Dust had walked in.

More accurately, Angel Dust had thrown open the front door, struck some form of pose, yelled 'Guess who got the night off, bitches?', and then laughed and sauntered toward the stairs…until he caught sight of the open bar and Alastor enjoying his cocktail.

Angel's eyes had brightened, and he strolled over and sat daintily on one of the stools. He grinned at Husker with a distinctly come-hither stare. "Husky, old pal, how about a drink? I can pay ya in money…or something else."

"Your 'something else' is no good here. Cash only," Husk grumbled, glaring at Angel but with a slightly flustered blush.

Angel giggled. "All right, all right - sheesh." He reached into his chest fluff and pulled out a roll of bills. "I'll have…" he considered, then grinned and glanced at Alastor, "I'll have what HE'S having!" He then winked at the Radio Demon.

Alastor had felt a jolt of severe static and interference pass through his head - not unlike the one he had experienced upon first meeting Angel Dust when the ignorant spider had chosen to greet him with a sexual proposition. "Is a fine brandy really to your taste, Angel Dust?" Alastor asked in a purposefully judgmental tone.

"Everything's to my taste, Smiles. I'm a fan of swallowing down fluids of all kinds." Angel smirked in that suggestive way of his, and Alastor glitched momentarily and decided to simply tune out Angel until the spider had finished his drink and vacated the bar for his room.

Angel finished his drink just as Alastor finished his own. But when Alastor ordered another - a sherry this time - Angel ordered another as well, and again copied Alastor's order. Part of Alastor suspected this display might be some form of flirting. He did not care for flirting, and so he chose to ignore Angel Dust all the more. Frankly, the only reason he hadn't ripped the spider's heart out of his chest to dine on at this point was because it would cast a pallor over his delicate partnership with Charlie - and because trying to bite his way through all of that thick white and pink fluff seemed tedious. Besides, on rare occasion Angel Dust added a certain humor bordering on charming to the place, he supposed.

Alastor continued his banter with Husk and continued his compliments to Niffty on her service and continued to keep his distance from Angel despite the spider's little glances and grins in his direction and the fact that he kept inching ever closer. But then Alastor ordered his next drink and Angel YET AGAIN ordered the same thing. And it was at that point Alastor had decided that if Angel wanted to make a game of their little time at the bar, he would let him… with consequences, of course.

Alastor had a constitution of steel - a demon had to when he often ate people alive, after all. He decided he would drink so deeply tonight that the spider would quickly pass out on the bar. Then he would make Husker and Niffty drag Angel Dust away and lock him in his room, affording the Alastor full peace and freedom in the hotel for the rest of the night… and giving Angel a wicked hangover for his shenanigans.

But drink after drink after drink came and went…and Angel held on steady and strong. Certainly he grew a little flushed, his eyes hazed, and his giggling went up exponentially. But he remained seated and poised even as Alastor started to feel himself grow a bit lightheaded and the radio waves always buzzing in his head slipped in and out of different frequencies.

Angel grew more boisterous - teasing Husk into frustrated and flustered grumbles, and twirling Niffty on the stool as she laughed, and leaning very much over into Alastor's personal space. Alastor had to keep his tongue: Husk had often made the valid point that he grew a bit loose-lipped when he was inebriated…and that he had a temper. And he did not want to risk entwining his evening even more with Angel's.

So now here they were — Angel being a spectacle and Alastor being frustrated that the spider wouldn't leave him alone or at least be quiet.

And then Angel lit a fuse Alastor couldn't ignore. "I mean, Husk, you seem like a smart hardworking." Angel shrugged and swirled his drink in his hand. "How do you get tricked into a deal by this dramatic strawberry pimp?"He jerked a thumb in Alastor's direction.

Alastor's glass shattered in his grip, his smile sharpened, and eyes narrowed. He turned slowly to Angel. "I beg your pardon…" left him in a low voice that frankly would have made most demons void their bowels.

Angel, instead, snorted with laughter (as Husk slowly backed away toward the bar shelves and quickly gestured to Niffty who had just come back into the lobby for more cleaning to try again later). "About which part?" the spider asked. "If it's about the strawberry part, it's cuz you're all red. If it's about the pimp part, it's cuz you got the fancy duds and cane. And if it's about the dramatic part - yikes, Al, every time you get antsy your eyes turn to radio dials!"

Alastor seethed. "It's about ALL of those parts AND your insinuation that it's surprising I could 'trick' people into deals."

"Hun, you are the LIVING DEAD DEFINITION of a LITERAL READ flag! I don't know how you've got anyone working for you, let alone people as capable as Husk and Niffty!" Angel quipped, taking a big swig.

Alastor smirked and leaned a little closer, nails digging into the counter. "Because I can give people what they want - for the mere price of their souls. And if I didn't disdain the concept of you tagging along after me for eternity, I'd offer you a deal right now just to be able to make you learn some manners!"

"Aww, someone's a grumpy drunk!" Angel lowered his drink and giggled. "No way I'd ever do a deal with you no matter what. I'm a slut, not a sucker!" He smirked. "Well, sometimes I'm a 'sucker', but that's only of dicks of course." His eyes actually went down to Alastor's waist and he licked his lips.

And then Alastor lost a great deal of control of the words tumbling out of his mouth as his eyes glowed read and his antlers grew. "You are an incorrigible demon, and I could snare your soul willingly into my service whenever I felt like it! And I would make sure your days were occupied with decency!"

"Did ya name your dick 'decency', Alastor?"

A tentacle rose from the floor, aimed directly at Angel's heart.

Angel's smile weakened but he just held up his hands. "Okay, okay, no more penis jokes! To be fair, I'm kind of very drunk!" He downed the rest of his drink. "Fuck, Alastor, do you get them all wasted to make deals with you, is that it? Cuz I'm still not biting. Even though you ARE extra easy on the eyes with a few belts in me."

The tentacle disappeared and now Alastor was just seething because Angel was borderline besting him in banter. "Husk was only slightly drunk!"

"It's true…" Husk added from his place seated safely on the floor with a bottle in had.

Angel snorted. "Yeah, well…I bet if I did make a deal with you, I could make it all work in my favor more than yours."

Now Alastor laughed. "Ha! Oh Angel - no. My deals involve me owning your soul. There's no coming back from that! Game over! No one out deals me…" He made symbols swirl around his head.

Angel played with his glass, head lolled to the side as he watched the radio demon. "I know how to play any guy, Alastor. It's all about figuring out what makes them tick. You ain't so tough, Smiles - you're always smiling!" He grinned. "And I think I got you pegged - like figuratively, not in the fun way."

Alastor's smile grew wide and sharp. He held out his hand. "Would you like to test that theory?" Green magic swirled around the limb.

"Nice try - you ain't got nothing I want, so I'm not shakin' that hand, Smiles. Not worth the risk just to prove my point." Angel wagged his finger than brought it forward and tapped the air just in front of Alastor's nose. "Besides I know you don't mean it - you don't want me being around you all the time forever like you said, right?" He played off the words casually but there was also a small loss to his smile for a moment.

Alastor noticed but just rolled his eyes. He withdrew his hand. "Then a wager perhaps! The same principals as a deal just without the more eternal consequences!"

"You wanna go gambling?" Angel leaned over the bar with a bright smile. "Husk! Take us to a casino! I know you know good casinos!"

Husk did not even make eye contact. "I am not here…"

Angel sat back down and looked at Alastor again. "Then I'll find one. And I'll kick your ass at any game."

"We're not going to some seedy casino, ha!"

"Eh, you're just afraid you'll lose!"

"I'm afraid that we'll both make utter asses of ourselves in public!"

"Then let's play a game together right here!"

"Well, let's bet! What do you want to lose?"

"With you? Virginity!" Angel flung out his arms dramatically.

All of Alastor's circuits went off line for a moment. When they rebooted he had half a mind to slap the spider on principle. "How dare you, sir!"

Angel blinked a few times. "Wait…" his head started working. "Wait…oh my god, are you saying you're a virgin?"

Alastor was quiet for a moment and went red in more than just his eyes. Then he stood up and put on his most confident smile. "I do not lose - in deals or in bets, Angel Dust. You've set your terms by setting mine. So I'll set mine by setting yours. Now what do I want from you…?"

Angel just raised an eyebrow. "i'm sorry, what? Wait, can we go back for a second to you seriously betting your—"

"We're creating a wager!" Alastor brusquely interrupted. "This things have rules, you know. And now the rule is I get to pick what I shall take from you when I win." He eyed Angel who just stared at him with his head tilted. The Radio Demon's eyes narrowed menacingly. "I've got it. I want your boots."

Angel's jaw fell and then he finally held out his arms. "What the fuck are you talking about? Is this real? Charlie! Is this some kind of fucking candid camera thing?"

"Oh Angel, all of this is quite real, I assure you. I rather despise cameras…" Alastor stepped closer, gesturing to angel's legs with his microphone. "I merely want your boots because no matter how uncovered your body is around here you always have something covering your legs — most often those boots."

Alastor knew he was on the right track here. Angel pulled in his legs, looking distressed. Alastor's smile grew. Angel pouted. "What would you even do with them? They ain't gonna fit your skinny deer legs!"

"Ha! I don't want to wear them. I want you to take them off and present them to me publicly and then I'll mount them on my wall. And I want to see what happens when you're laid bare from them."

Angel was pouting like a stubborn child. But then he really eyed Alastor for a moment curiously…and finally his eyes widened like something had clicked, though Alastor had no idea what. Angel smirked and resumed his confident grin. "Ohhh, I see what you're driving it with this…" He chuckled as Alastor raised an eyebrow. "Fine. You're 'the virgin' and if you 'win' and I'll present you the boots. But when I 'win', you're gonna remove and present something ELSE to ME - upstairs or down here if you want an audience." He winked coyly.

Alastor glared. "It's a bet." He held out his hand - no green magic swirling around it.

Angel reached forward and they shook.

"Uh…what's going on guys? I thought I heard someone call my name…"

They turned to see a hesitant Charlie now standing in the lobby with a scowling Vaggie at her side and a hesitant Niffty flanking them from behind.

Husk stood up behind the bar looking…mildly disturbed. "Princess, you really should just stay out of it."

"No one's staying out if anything!" Vaggie shot back. "This is OUR hotel and the two of them have been making enough noise down here to wake up the whole place."

"I think Miss Charlie and Miss Vaggie can help, Husk!" Niffty offered. "That way you can focus on the bar, like you like, and I can focus on cleaning up any mess like I like."

Charlie cleared her throat, her weak smile still focused on Angel and Alastor and their held hands. "If there's any kind of problem, I'm sure we can work something out so everyone will be happy. That's our mission here at the Happy Hotel, after all!" She swung a fist through the air.

Alastor glanced down, realized he was still holding Angel's hand, then quickly pulled his hand away and grinned at Charlie. "You can referee if you'd like, Charlie! Angel and I have made a gentleman's wager. No deals, and nothing cosmic at stake I assure you." His smile sharpened. "Just a fun little game - a way for me to get to know your premiere guest!"

Charlie hesitated then glanced behind him to Angel. "Angel…this is just a bet for fun, right? And it's something you want to do? And it doesn't involve anything bad?"

Angel smiled and did finger guns at her. "All on the up and up, doll. Smiles and I are just making a night of it - really feeling each other out." He moved beside Alastor and winked.

Alastor nudged him firmly with his microphone as his eyes flashed red for a moment. "Now then, may we continue?"

Charlie crossed her arms and tried to stand firm. "First, what are you going to be doing exactly?"

Alastor's eyes brightened. "Excellent point! We'd set the terms but not the activity." He glanced to the spider. "Angel, what shall we do? Guns drawn at ten paces? Whoever wings the other worse wins?"

Vaggie there up her arms. "You are not shooting at each other in the hotel!"

Charlie held up her hands. "I'm sure you guys can think of a safer activity if you talk about it."

"Yeah, safer for AL." Angel grinned. "I'm a damn ace shot."

"I'm sure." Alastor rolled his eyes.

Angel saw and turned away with a huff. "How about we just start throwing punches? My SIX hands against shorty Alastor's dainty, deer TWO?"

Alastor sneered. "I do not engage in brutal rounds of fisticuffs!" His smile brightened again. "Now, if you wanted to try a knife fight, that would be a deer of a different color!"

"You cannot have a knife fight!" Vaggie shouted.

"How about a rousing game of checkers?" Charlie quickly interjected, looking between the two boys.

Alastor and Angel blinked then turned to her with dry looks.

Angel sighed and crossed his arms. "Okay, look, compromise - skeet shooting. Whoever hits the most targets wins. We'll do it on the roof."

"I would really prefer if NO ONE was SHOOTING guns near PUBLIC areas or inside as part of hotel activities," Charlie replied.

Alastor twirled his cane. "Perhaps knife throwing at targets instead of each other!"

"No deadly projectiles PLEASE!" Charlie threw her arms out at them, nearly in panic, especially when she saw Angel look like he was actually considering the notion.

Husk sighed and opened a fresh bottle. "Charlie, just pick something halfway between decent and dumb for them to do so they can get their stupid bet over with."

She considered, looking sheepish. "I'm sure we can find a good middle ground between a board game and deadly combat. Uh…" they eyed her, waiting with interest, "…maybe playing cards? A game of Hide and Seek? A scavenger hunt?" They still weren't biting. Charlie tried upping the ante to something more physical, something involving throwing even if it wasn't of lethal objects. "A paper airplane competition? A round of horseshoes? A game of bowling?"

"If it means we can start already, then fine bowling it is!" Announced Alastor with a distinct under current of annoyance to his chipper tone. "Rosie runs a league for the lady cannibals - I'm familiar with the rules and play!"

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. She looked to Angel. "Are you okay with that too, Angel?"

A little grin came to Ange's features. "Oh sure. That'll be fine by me - I'm familiar with the rules. And the play, kind of."

"Great!" She clapped her hands together. "There's a bowling alley two districts over. We can go tomorrow and —"

"Ah, I've never been one for waiting, Charlotte! You may want to stand back." Alastor beamed and snapped his fingers. The room morphed into a large bowling alley with a single lane decorated in neon lights and colorful deer antlers. Ten red pins sat in formation at the end and one pink ball and one red ball sat at the ready on the bar for Angel and Alastor.

Charlie blinked. "I…guess this works too. As long as you return the lobby to normal when you're done, Alastor."

Alastor nodded. "Ha! Of course, Charlie! Now then…" He looked to Angel, showing all of his teeth, eyes narrowed and red. "Who shall go first?"

Angel didn't flinch under the wicked grin. He gestured forward to the lane. "Age before beauty. Pretty sure you died first, after all. Good luck." He blew Alastor a kiss.

Alastor glowed and wrinkled his nose and made sure to brush the end of his cane against Angel's boots possessively as he set it on the bar to take his ball. He strode forward to the lane with poise and grace. "As I said, Rosie's league is mostly for the ladies so I don't play much - only as a stand in when someone's indisposed. But I've always had a steady hand…and a sensational aim in moments of destruction." He pulled back his arm, walked forward, and released the ball down the lane.

The ball hit the pins at an angle. The first half fell instantly, a few more followed slowly afterwards, and one twirled a bit - indecisive - but then finally dropped.

Alastor grinned happily and turned right around. "I believe that's a strike for me! Mark it down, Husker." While Niffty dashed to the end of the lane to reset the pins, Husk wrote an X on the scoreboard Alastor had made appear behind him. Alastor gave Angel a smug little sneer and sat on the barstool, awaiting Angel's turn.

Angel took his ball with a happy smile and headed to the lane.

Alastor sat back, prepared for the sweet satisfaction of watching Angel's probably mediocre skills descend to utter panicked incompetence at the success Alastor had just displayed.

Instead, Angel darted forward gracefully and released the ball.

It shot to the end of the lane and knocked down all the pins instantly.

Alastor's smile almost dropped all the way.

"Fuck," Husk muttered near him, eyes wide. "You might be in trouble for once…"

Alastor grabbed Husk's bottle and crushed it in his hand, letting the liquor fall to the floor. He wiped off his hand on a handkerchief as Angel resumed his seat at the bar. Alastor glanced at him. Alastor kept his smile plastered on tight. "Ha! Good show… I thought you said you were only KIND OF familiar with the play of this game."

Angel smiled more, his eyes hazed. "The play of 'bowling' - yeah. But the play of bocci - I'm an expert."

"What is bocci—"

"KIND OF Italian bowling. Played with my brother and sister in life - pretty much every day. And I always won." Angel rested on his shoulder on the bar. "Your turn, hot stuff."

Alastor felt his pulse quicken and his glow brighten and warm and at Angel's gaze. He realized that technically he could get out of this situation by just slaughtering everyone present but…reneging on a bet in that fashion wasn't good for a demon's reputation. And it would be admitting that he couldn't outsmart Angel. And also it would ruin any other fun he night have with this hotel in the future.

No need for such a dramatic recourse. He could simply win. Even if they both tied with a perfect score, that would negate the bet on both ends. So really Alastor's odds of 'being in trouble' were only one out of three. He'd faced worse before.

Alastor grabbed his ball, strolled up to the lane, and threw.

The ball swerved a bit to far to one side but did hit its mark at a decent angle. Fewer of the pins went down right away but after some hesitant swirling they all fell and he let out a sigh of relief. He turned and headed back to the bar.

Angel was acting unfazed - he was primping himself in a hand mirror and sipping a cocktail. He grinned at Alastor. "So talented. I'm excited to see how good your stamina is." He giggled warmly, like he expected Alastor to do the some.

Alastor crossed his arms and legs, static building in his ears. "Banter between rounds isn't require."

Angel tilted his head, looking curious again for a moment. But then his playful grin returned. "Oh I know. But it sure is fun." He winked then strolled up to the lane with his ball and released another perfect rocket-like strike.

One of Alastor's ears went down.

Husk sighed. "At least it'll be over fast…"

Alastor rubbed his temple, eyes closed. "Shut up…" He got up and braced himself then approached the lane and let the ball go.

He missed two pins and overall only managed a spare.

It was the beginning of the end.

Neither boy bowled an entirely perfect game. But after succumbing to that first imperfect frame, Alastor lost another pin here and another there - far more than Angel. The spider played with the confidence of a born athlete at this game. And Alastor cursed the day 'bocci' had ever been invented. He continued to convince himself that he could catch up, that Angel would get sloppy, or that perhaps the universe would simply come crashing down around them and make this entire situation null and void. But he watched Angel's score increase behind his own until the last frame was merely a formality.

Angel stared him down with what could only be described as bedroom eyes as the spider stood to take his turn.

Alastor glared. "There's no need for you to go — you've already won."

"I like to be thorough - in everything I do," Angel purred. Then he strolled forward to the lane, hips swaying, pulled back and fired the ball. Some of the pins swayed for a moment but in the end he managed to finish with a perfect strike.

"Miss Angel wins!" Niffty announced with her eye wide. "Wow…this was not expected. Good thing no one placed any bets."

"Speak for yourself," Husk huffed as he handed a smirking Vaggie a few bills from under his hat.

Charlie yawned and stretched. "Okay, well, great! I'm glad you guys got to do your bet. Now you can settle up and we can all get a good night's sleep."

"Definitely a good night…" Angel sighed in satisfaction.

Those words did it. Alastor snapped his fingers - the room returned to normal but went black except for the red glow coming from his smile and eyes. He snatched Angel in a tentacle and spirited them both away upstairs upon which a door slammed firmly.

Charlie blinked. "What was that? Where's Angel? And Alastor? Husk?" She turned to him, panicked.

Husk swallowed and rubbed the back of his neck, trying not to blush. "They both made the stakes a little personal. Alastor's embarrassed he lost and he just…needs to be dramatic and deal with the settling up in private." He scowled. "My advice? Never mention this night again."

Niffty nodded, sitting on the counter. "Yeah. Alastor's a much better winner than loser."

"No one's going to get hurt?" Charlie's eyes were big, and she frowned.

Husk played with a glass on the bar. "The terms weren't about anyone getting hurt. It was more of an 'exchange' type thing. But either way an official bet - now that it's signed, sealed, delivered and lost, Alastor couldn't hurt Angel to get out of it even if he wanted to."

Charlie still looked concerned. Vaggie came over and put a hand on her shoulder. "Babe - I think sometimes we're just going to have to let people here work things out for themselves. As long as no one's getting hurt and they're handling it, it's fine. And you're here if Angel or Alastor want to talk."

Charlie sighed and nodded. "You're probably right." She took Vaggie's hand with a small smile. "Come on, let's get to bed. I want to be up early in case either of them want to talk first thing."

Vaggie smiled a little too and headed to the stairs with her.

Husk sighed and put away the glasses and bottles. "I'm done, too. I need to pass out quickly so I don't have to think about whatever's happening up there right now."

Niffty raised an eyebrow. "What did they end up betting?"

"I do NOT want to talk about it." Husk trudged out of the lobby to his room.

Niffty shrugged them wiped down the counter one last time and headed to her room as well, turning out the lobby light.

Upstairs, Alastor dropped Angel (perhaps a bit harshly) onto the bed of his master suite but still kept the room dark except for his glowing eyes and teeth.

Angel glanced around him. "This power trip is kind of kinky - I like it. You got a knack for foreplay, Smiles." He winked.

Alastor felt himself about to lose his temper and consume Angel and the hotel and half the pentagram in the grip of his magic.

But then he felt the tug of the wager in his blood: a minor contract that needed to be fulfilled. His magic dissipated to simply reveal his room full of red and black and antlered decorations. He glared at Angel. "You already won - do you have to be cheeky too?"

Angel tilted his head. "I'm just trying to set the mood, Smiles." He leaned back on the bed. "Now, do you want to get out of those clothes or do you want ME to get you out of them? I got six hands. It's so quick you'll barely feel it…."

Sharp static shot through Alastor's ears. "Shut up!"

"Is the grumpy drunk thing gonna wear off soon?" Angel rolled his eyes, arms crossed. "Come on, Smiles - celebrate! Your little plan went perfectly. You 'lost' - great job taking a very subtle dive in that game by the way - and now you have a perfectly good excuse for a fun night with me without admitting to anyone else you're excited about it. And if you're still down for that whole 'virgin' role-play thing, I am good to go." Angel's eyes brightened. "That was your plan with all this, right?"

Alastor blinked twice. His ears went down.

Now Angel blinked. "That…WAS your plan with all this, right? Like, you're into me too and you just wanted an excuse to have a fun fling whether you're really a virgin or not so you pushed us into this bet…"

Alastor looked away with the closest thing to a pout he could manage then teleported himself to sit on the opposite end of the bed, facing away from Angel.

Angel considered. Then his jaw fell. Then he turned and crawled over to Alastor's side. "Wait a minute… Are you trying to tell me that A - you really are a virgin. And B - you really bet that virginity on a drunken game of bowling, and C - that you were so fucking arrogant you just assumed there was zero chance you could lose, because D - you don't want to have sex with me at all?"

Alastor's hands gripped the edge of the bed. He spoke through gritted teeth. "Can't you just take what you won and GO!" His voice grew distorted. "And I'm perfectly capable of undressing myself." He lifted up his hands - they were shaky.

Angel sat beside him and grabbed those hands. "Fuck, Alastor! I thought this was some flirty game! You kept smiling and doing the banter and not killing me! If you don't want to have sex, I am NOT having sex with you!"

"The terms of our bet were—"

"Oh fuck the terms of our bet and all the overlord dramatic bullshit!" Angel pulled his hands away, scowling. "I don't want any part of this!"

"But I really would have mounted your boots on my wall!"

"Yeah, so YOU'RE an asshole and I'M not, so what! Besides, you're fucking more important than boots!"

"Then why do you always speak so disrespectfully to me!"

"I'm hitting on you, ya drama queen! I think you're funny and hot!"

"Then you…do want to have sex with me!"

"Not on a BET, and not if YOU don't want to have sex with ME! Capiche?"

"Oh, I never want to have sex with anyone!" Alastor waved him off then his eyes went wide.

Angel blinked. He considered. "Oh…well, why didn't you say so? My crowd tends to be pretty hardcore into sexual attraction but I totally get it if you're in a different place. That also explains the 'what the fuck?' look you gave me when we met and I asked to suck your dick."

"Can we please not talk about my—"

Angel snorted. "Sorry, sorry…" He sighed. "You know, I'll admit maybe I do kind of egg you on and get a little too suggestive. But also, you're not always so nice to me." He looked down. "It's like you're kind of just waiting for any chance to put me down or prove I'm just a silly hooker. Definitely not someone you'd want 'tagging along' after you for eternity…" He frowned.

Alastor considered him and took a deep breath. "Perhaps I am a bit sharp with you. It's sort of a defense mechanism against your advances…which I find a little overwhelming since they are something I am used to rarely receiving or giving."

Angel looked up, smiling a little again. "So…you maybe wanna both be a little nicer to each other? And set some boundaries. Like…I'll curb the advances to just cheeky fun compliments. And maybe you'll try to get to know me before you decide you hate me or whatever?"

"That sounds like…a deal?" Alastor glanced at him hesitantly.

Angel shook his head and laughed. "Everything doesn't have to be big deals and contracts and agreements. It's just two people deciding to get along. We're demons - doesn't mean we can't have manners, right?" Angel winked.

Alastor's smile grew a little. "Indeed. And I will likewise approach our interactions differently."

"Good. You're all right, Smiles." Angel nodded to him and stood up. "I'm gonna head to bed. You have a good night."

"Angel!" Alastor stood too and held up a hand and his eyes flickered to radio dials for a moment then returned to normal. "I still lost. And there are certain rules I'm bound by…as part of my magic. You HAVE to take what you've won."

Angel hesitated. "I would never hurt you like that, Smiles. I'd even sell my soul to you to not have to do it."

Alastor's eyes widened and he tilted his head. "But…why? Everyone wants to hurt me, Angel. I am the most violent overlord in power."

"Because…I know what it's like…that kind of being hurt." He didn't make eye contact.

Alastor's ears dropped. And suddenly he felt like he wanted to take out every drop of wrath he'd experienced tonight on whoever had hurt Angel. He took a breath. "I won't ever take your soul. I believe it might be too good for me." Angel's eyes widened and he blushed. Alastor noticed and glanced away, hiding his glow. "Er, anyway…we really will have to find some sort of loophole or something to complete the wager or my powers will get a bit finicky ha!"

Angel smiled a little to himself and considered. "Well, for a loophole, as a sex worker I'd say 'virginity' is a pretty vague term. I mean, you can be a virgin to a lot of things - doesn't even have to be physical stuff. Just means you haven't tried something yet, right? Now let's see, things you haven't tried yet…I'm gonna guess anything that was invented after about 1940." Alastor just watched in interest and some wonder as Angel puzzled things out. Then his eyes brightened. "Ooo, I've got it! You ever go to an amusement park? Like, even if you have, you can't have gone to one with all the flashing lights and crazy special effects and crap, right?"

Alastor considered, still feeling himself glow brightly. "I, er…suppose I haven't…"

"Then we're going to LuLu World, you kooky deer!" Angel threw his arms in the air. "Lucifer's classy amusement park. Bet Charlie can get us in free. You ever go on a roller coaster?"

"No…"

"Then that will be the specific virginity I take!" Angel announced proudly.

Alastor furrowed his brow, channels of static shifting back and forth between his ears. "I would…like that?" He glowed more. "I mean as an alternative to…" He cleared his throat. "I will consider the terms of our bet satisfied!" He held out his hand.

Angel shook his hand heartily with two of his own. "Good, we'll work out the plans tomorrow."

Alastor raised an eyebrow as Angel released him and strolled across the room. "Why does this feel like it could be construed as a date?" He turned and eyed the spider suspiciously.

"That's your subconscious talking, not mine, babe." Angel giggled. "But if you'd like, we can make the outing a group thing - take the whole hotel. Though it'll be just you and me on the roller coaster." His eyes hazed. "And then, I mean, if you want to relax in the Tunnel of Love…"

Alastor smirked and snapped his fingers to open the door. "Goodnight, Angel." His smile grew. "Thank you for this enlightening evening. I have enjoyed your company."

Angel's smile brightened. "Thanks. I liked yours too. "Night, Alastor." The spider closed the door behind him.

Alastor prepared himself for bed with a snap of his fingers then entered and settled in. And he decided that perhaps Angel was a more intriguing guest than he had initially suspected.

Years later…

Alastor and Angel were spending the morning in bed together resting peacefully. Angel's chest was bare, and though Alastor wore a long sleeved red night shirt, it was open down the center - his chest pressed against Angel's back.

Alastor's stomach grumbled.

Angel smiled, eyes still closed. "Someone's ready for breakfast."

"And dealing with hundreds of hotel guests crowding the dining room? No thank you," Alastor playfully grumbled.

Angel smiled more. "Well, if you want something to nibble on for now, I do still have some edible panties tucked in the nightstand since you turned 'em down last night."

Alastor sighed. "I'm getting up." He held close for another moment and then opened his eyes.

Angel did too and yawned as he turned to Alastor. "Morning." His smile grew warmer. "You always look so cute after one of your sexy nights."

Alastor glowed and rolled his eyes. "Sometimes when I'm bored in a very particular way - there's only one thing and one person I can imagine to assist me." He looked down shyly.

Angel giggled. "I like lovin' you up too, Smiles." He tapped Alastor on the chest.

Alastor sat up with a big smile, glowing more, and redid his buttons. "I am very much aware."

Angel stretched then grabbed a shirt from the floor and put it on - an oversized white one, faded, that said Lu Lu World.

Alastor's eyes caught on the shirt and hazed a little.

Angel grinned more. "What? You up for some morning delight, Deer Daddy?"

"Ha, no…Just thinking about you tricking us into that first 'date' at the amusement park."

"Technically you started things with that bowling bet. But either way, you liked that date." Angel crossed his arms.

"Yes, that date… and you." Alastor's smile softened.

"And you're the one who suggested half the dates after that." Angel winked.

"I was intrigued…and for a brief period quiet confused…and then of course hopelessly enamored." Alastor's glow was practically golden. "You are the companion of my heart."

Angel moved closer, blushing. "I love you too, Alastor." He leaned in and gently kissed Alastor's mouth, and the shy Radio Demon kissed him back.

They pulled apart, forehead's touching.

Then Angel's stomach grumbled. He laughed. "Come on, we'll get dressed and brave all the hotel guests together. Then maybe let's go out in the backyard and play some bocci. Dibs on the bathroom first!" Angel scrambled out of bed, the long shirt covering his body, and dashed to the bathroom with a giggle.

Alastor sighed, shaking his head with a smile and rested back on the pillows for a moment, enjoying such an intriguing sensation of serenity in hell.

Soon he got ready too, and he and Angel went downstairs to greet the day with others — and as always, with each other.

A/N:

Thank you guys for joining me in this randomness, and thank you to Kaccsasu_tnm for the great prompt! Below is just the main link to their Twitter profile : )

Take care everyone! I'll try to have more Partners up next weekend!

-Azure129

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