Oh boy. This was a doozy of a chapter.
Title Song: "Someone Gets Hurt" from "Mean Girls: the Musical"
WARNING: SEXUAL CONTENT AHEAD!
While the crowd was going wild for Angel Dust's number, Tina spotted her husband watching from the wings. She approached him with her arms crossed.
"Okay, ya ole schemer," she said. "I know this music ain't your scene, so what did Angel offer ya that made ya go along with this?"
Alastor shrugged. "Would you believe I was simply assisting a colleague out of the goodness of my heart?"
She raised an eyebrow. "If it were for me, I'd almost believe ya. But you don't even like Angel."
He showed his palms in surrender. "I didn't take his soul, if that's what you're implying. You think I want to have that attached to me for all eternity? Ipromise, darling, all I accepted in return was the opportunity to teach that wretched pimp a lesson."
Giggling, Tina threw her arms around his neck. "In that case, ya done good, hon."
"Oh dear." Alastor sighed. "Don't let it get out, chère. My reputation is already on the line with all my 'do-gooding' at this hotel."
"Aw, well I know just the thing to fix that." She kissed him, then whispered in his ear. "If ya wanna do bad, just wait till we're finally alone."
"Hmm." Smirking, he kissed her back. "I suppose that should be enough to tip the scale."
He leaned in again, but her fingers stopped his lips.
"Not yet, hon. We still gotta watch the Three Vs. And besides," she said, jerking her thumb to the stage behind her, "we gotta announce the next act."
Alastor pouted. Rather awkwardly, with that permanent grin of his.
"Once again, mon amour, you are right." He pecked her forehead. "I'll do the announcement, then meet you on the dancefloor. If we cannot be alone, at least we can get in another dance, yes?"
She nodded, pulled away, and gave him a wave as she went down the stage steps.
It felt so strange being on the same wavelength as Alastor again. For them to anticipate each other's thoughts and feelings, and, even with a little banter, somehow come to an agreement in the end. But at the same time, it felt natural.
Tina didn't know what was going to come out of her rekindled relationship with her husband, especially with the hotel becoming a huge part of their lives. But as long as they weren't fighting, as long as they were both happy and comfortable, she was sure that whatever came their way, they could handle it together.
She wasn't going to let anything ruin her marriage. Not this time.
The moment Tina stepped onto the dancefloor, she noticed how unusually quiet the crowd was. She chalked it up to them just listening to Alastor's announcement. Then every demon stared at her as she passed by, gawking and snickering. Some murmured to each other, pointing to their phones, then at her.
Was there some sort of joke she wasn't in on?
"Hey, lady," a guest Tina didn't recognize piped up. "What happened to your boobies?"
She spun around with her hands on her hips. "Excuse me?"
The rude guest was pulled away be his companion. More snickers arose.
"The fuck is wrong with everybody?" Tina wondered aloud.
"Tee."
Two spider arms flung around her shoulder and waist, ushering her to the nearest wall.
"Angel? What's going on?"
Angel turned her to face him, resting his hands on her shoulders, his expression more serious than she'd ever seen it. "Okay, toots, ya know I'm the last person to judge this sort of thing, but ya gotta know these things are all over the hotel's site and Sinstagram."
Tina scrunched her nose. "What things?"
He sighed and pulled out his phone. "Just so we're clear, I don't get off on this at all."
Then he showed her the screen. And Tina's heart stopped.
She grabbed the phone, her hands shaking, her wide eyes unable to look away.
Her lip quivered. "H-How?"
"Don't know how," Angel said. "Vags says they've been hacked." He leaned in to whisper, "Tee, they don't think you're behind it, but it's fucking everywhere now. Ya might wanna get outta here before…"
But Tina didn't listen to him. Her face twisted into a scowl as she dropped the phone. Before it could hit the floor, Angel caught it. He watched as she turned on her heel and stomped across the room.
"Babe, wait!" He waved an arm. "I can take ya to—"
"What did you do?"
Angel yelped and spun around to find the Radio Demon glaring at him with glowing eyes.
"You did something to upset my wife," Alastor accused. "Tell me."
"W-What?" Angel laughed as he hid the phone behind his back. "I-I didn't do nothing. Why would I upset one of my best gal pals? Ridiculous, right?"
Alastor glanced behind the spider. "Why are you hiding that infernal contraption of yours?"
"H-Hiding? I ain't hidin' nothing."
The phone was snatched out of Angel's hand by Chesterfield. The shadow dutifully handed it to his master.
"You showed her something on here, didn't you?" Alastor examined the phone. "Now, which button do you press to turn it on?"
"S-Stop!" Angel reached for the device, only to be held back by Alastor's foot in his gut. "I-I got porn on there!"
But before Alastor could register what Angel had said, he'd already found the power button.
A record scratched. A signal blipped in indecipherable code. The corners of the Radio Demon's mouth trembled as he stared at the picture onscreen.
He'd seen it before. Several like it. In a gift-wrapped box in his room.
Tina's voice echoed through the ballroom. "You fucking bastard!"
Alastor broke his gaze from the horrifying image to see his wife stomping towards the Three Vs at the bar. She planted herself in front of Valentino, her arms firmly at her sides.
"You said those pictures were for your own private use! That you wouldn't share 'em with the public!"
"I said I wouldn't share them with the public." Valentino smirked as he glanced at his two colleagues. "But if someone else happened to gain access to them… Well, I can't exactly control what they do with them."
Alastor and Angel shared a look. Then, with much hesitation, the Radio Demon glanced back down at the phone.
When he'd first seen the image, he'd been so focused on the fact that Tina was bare naked, he hadn't paid attention to her facial expression. Now that he was, he could see that it was nothing pleasurable or flirtatious.
Her usually vibrant violet eyes were dull and lifeless. Her mouth was in a straight line, her bottom lip bitten. As if she were stopping herself from protesting. Or crying.
However precarious her position in the photo, she did not look like she was enjoying it.
Then Alastor returned his gaze to Tina and the Three Vs.
"Take 'em down," the Songbat demanded. "Now."
"Or what?" Valentino chuckled. "You gonna fight me in front of all these witnesses? Ya have any idea what that's gonna look like for you, doll?"
Velvet waved her phone. "Big talk of redemption, when you make these kinda poses."
"That's not why I—" Tina started to say.
"Nice bod, by the way." Vox nodded at his own phone. "But what's with the scars? Someone rip off your titties and stitch 'em back together?"
Those eavesdropping on their quarrel snickered. Tina's face reddened as she covered her chest with her arms, as if that would make everyone forget what was underneath.
"Hey, wasn't there some news story a couple decades back?" Velvet asked. "That you used to pay men favors up top?"
Tina balled her hands into fists, but was too frozen in place to throw a punch.
"Explains why ya cheated on your husband," Vox said. "Except you were the one paying in cash this time."
Hot, angry tears welled up in her eyes.
"How can you expect anyone to change," Valentino said, pointing to his own phone, "when you're incapable of it yourself."
She wanted to retaliate. To tell them that they were wrong. To rip them apart with one of her brutal comebacks.
But the words of the Three Vs had struck her dumb.
All around her, demons were whispering, chuckling, pointing at her, shaking their heads, leering, judging.
Her vision blurred into darkness as voices from the past rang through her head.
Social climber. Heartbreaker. Hypocrite. Slut. Bitch.
Tina clutched her head, her lengthening claws digging into them.
Dames like you are only good for one thing.
"What?" Velvet giggled. "The little girlie gonna throw a temper tantrum?"
"That's right," Valentino said. "Now that the big secret's out, let everyone see what you really are."
Tina wanted to stop herself from transforming, but it was too much. The slander, the ridicule, everyone knowing her shame. It was happening all over again.
Fury fueled her like a drug. She wanted nothing more than to slaughter everyone in that ballroom.
Starting with the three laughing bastards who'd started this whole mess.
Then a pair of arms ensnared her. And her face was smushed into a chest. A chin rested atop her head. Fingers combed through her hair, which in her frenzy had come loose from her bun.
"Shh," said the only voice that could reach her in this state. "Do not stress yourself, darling. I'm here." A pair of lips pressed against her head. "Leave this to me."
The Songbat lost awareness of everything but the demon holding her.
"What's this now?" Valentino said.
Alastor had his back to the Three Vs, shielding Tina from them.
"You're wasting your time, Deer Boy," Vox said. "That bitch ain't worth protecting."
"No kidding," Velvet said. "First, she cheats on ya multiple times, then she does all this," she paused to hold up her phone, "for Hell's most famous pimp? Why do you even bother anymore?"
The Radio Demon did not respond. He didn't even look at them. Only pressed his wife tighter to his chest.
"How does it feel?" Valentino asked. "Knowing I've seen your wife naked more times than you?"
Alastor sneered. "Leave."
Velvet scoffed. "Excuse me?"
He turned his head, showing a single radio dial in place of his eye. "You have violated the rules of our hotel, disrespected our staff, and exploited my wife."
Alastor growled, snatched up Velvet's phone and crushed it in his hand.
"Hey!"
"So take your venomous attitude," he said, throwing the metallic debris on the floor, "and your disgusting behinds, and remove them from the premises, before I slaughter you where you stand."
His form and antlers grew, his skeletal arms remaining locked around the Songbat, who was still stuck mid-transformation and nearly passed out.
"You're kidding." Vox tilted his screen. "You're kidding, right? After knowing what kind of slut she is, you're still taking her side?"
The Radio Demon stroked his wife's head, all while glaring radio dials at the trio. "Always."
"But her nude bod's all over the cursed web!" Velvet exclaimed. "This really the kind of chick ya wanna be married to? The kind running this stupid goody-goody hotel?"
"I'll tell ya what kinda chick she is."
It wasn't Alastor who spoke, but Angel Dust. He stepped between the Radio Demon and the Three Vs with two sets of arms crossed.
"She's the kinda chick who would do anything," Angel said, "even humiliate herself to help somebody. Doesn't matter if she knows the dumbass who's gotten themselves in trouble, she's up for gettin' 'em out."
Valentino snarled. "Don't tell me you're defending this piece of shit too, Angel Cakes. Can't ya see from those nudes that she's a hypocrite?"
"Ya think I don't know how ya got ahold of those nudes?" Angel placed his upper hands on his hips. "She told me she got a lotta souls from ya, and I know what kinda shitty deals ya get folks into. That's how I know this," he said as he held up his phone, "wasn't 'bout her gettin' some kinky shit outta her system. This was her makin' sure you wouldn't so something worse to demons like me.
"So, yeah. I'm defendin' her. Cuz she defended me when no one else would. And like me, like most of the sinners down here, she was made to do something she didn't wanna do, except in this case, she did it to help someone else. That's the kinda demon she is, and that's the kinda demon I'm proud to call my boss!"
Valentino rose to his full height, glaring down at the spider. "You're really buying into this whole redemption crap, ain't ya? Ya really think this batshit bitch and her motley crew are gonna help ya get to Heaven?"
"Maybe this dump won't get me to Heaven." Angel snorted. "But ya know what it did help me get? Self-respect." He squared his shoulders and raised his head. "Something you know nothing about."
The pimp raised a hand. "Why, you—"
Before he could strike Angel, his wrist was caught by none other than Husk. "Don't you fucking dare."
Valentino was about to protest, when more demons moved in front of Alastor and Tina. The hotel employees. The ones that used to serve under the Three Vs. The ones that the Songbat had rescued with the very nudes that had, but a minute ago, disgraced her.
They all stared at the Three Vs, some pounding their fists, some lifting their skirts or pantlegs to reveal hidden weapons. Niffty appeared with a shining pair of long knitting needles.
They were joined by Vaggie and Charlie, the latter looking angrier than anyone there had ever seen her.
"You heard the Radio Demon," Vaggie said. "Leave."
"You broke the rules," Charlie said, "and attacked our residents. In more ways than one." Horns sprouted from her head. "As Princess of Hell, and owner of this place, I order that you leave the Hazbin Hotel immediately."
As an afterthought, she smiled and said, "Please."
The Three Vs looked around. Even the guests who had been heckling the Songbat were staring them down. Many phones were out, recording the whole showdown.
With a growl, Valentino wrenched his wrist out of Husk's grip. "Fine. This party's a drag, anyway."
The pimp motioned for his two colleagues to follow him, and they begrudgingly obeyed.
"You owe me a new phone, deer dick!" Velvet shouted over her shoulder.
Once the Three Vs were out of the ballroom, Vaggie said, "I'll make sure they leave." She glanced at Tina, who was still smothered in her husband's embrace. "Is she…?"
"I'll take her to her room." Alastor ran a hand down Tina's back. "Until she calms down."
In a puff of smoke, the Radio Demon disappeared along with his wife. Vaggie tailed the Three Vs, while Charlie assured the crowd that everything was under control, and that the festivities would continue.
Meanwhile, a certain chameleon shot a glare across the room at a certain canary, mouthing, "Now what?"
Showing no sign of panic, she mouthed back, "Patience."
By the time Alastor teleported himself and Tina to her room, she was out cold. He settled her onto the bed, pulled up an armchair, and waited.
While Tina was likely battling her inner demon in her sleep, Alastor was battling his own inner demon fully awake. The only thing that had kept him from tearing the Three Vs apart had been his beloved's panic attack. He didn't want a situation like the other night where, in his blind rage, he'd nearly strangled her.
But with everything that had happened in the last hour, it was difficult for the Radio Demon to keep himself together. His antlers and claws grew in and out. His bones cracked and twisted into unnatural positions. His eyes flashed from red, to black, to dials, to static.
He gripped the arms of his chair, his claws poking through. As he took deep breaths, he focused his attention on the unconscious demoness in the bed.
The anger, the hurt, the bloodlust. It was all overpowering. So much so that not even the sight of the woman he loved was enough to dispel it.
But, being the pragmatic man he was, he refused to lose control. Not until he'd gotten a full explanation.
He was not aware of how much time had passed when Tina finally stirred. With a final deep breath, Alastor regained his usual appearance. Though his claws remained embedded in the armchair.
Tina moaned as she opened her eyes. "Al?"
She wasn't facing him. So the fact that she was calling out to him softened Alastor's heart. Enough for his claws to detract.
"I'm here, darling." He clapped his hands to light the lamp. "You're safe now."
That was a lie. With the Radio Demon's sanity hanging by a thread, no one was safe.
Tina rolled over, then rubbed her head. "What…what happened?"
He hesitated. "How much do you remember?"
After thinking about it for a moment, she sat up. "The Three Vs. They—"
"Are gone. We saw to that."
She tilted her head at him. "We?"
"Myself, Angel, Husker, Charlotte, Vagatha."
"But why? After I…" She paled. "The photos. Al, did you see—?"
"Yes." He gritted his teeth. "As a matter of fact, that wasn't my first time seeing them."
"What?"
"I can assume you weren't the one to send that package to my room."
"Package?" Tina swung her legs over the side of the bed. "You were the one who sent a package to my room."
Alastor blinked. "What?"
"Didn't ya drop off a package holdin' my old negligee just before the dance?"
He stared at her, then growled. "I think someone's trying to make fools out of us, Tina, for I never sent you that negligee."
Her eyes widened. "Then…if you didn't send it, how'd it end up at my door? I left that thing at our house."
"W-Well…" Alastor blushed as he looked down at his lap. "I, err, may have brought it with me…to the hotel."
Tina remembered finding her old silk nightgown in his drawer.
"Which means…" His embarrassment was quickly replaced with anger. "Someone entered my room without my knowledge. Someone working for the Three Vs, no doubt."
"What makes ya think that?"
Alastor closed his eyes. "In that package…were several hundred photographs of you. The same ones…I saw on Angel's phone."
Tina covered her chest with her arms. "Y-You…you saw all of 'em?"
Once again, he clenched the armrests. "Yes."
She began to sob. Then, to Alastor's great surprise, she threw herself at his feet.
"It's not what ya think, I swear!" She plopped her face onto his knees, staining his trousers with tears. "I didn't wanna. I tried to think of some other way, but…I had to do something to save 'em. Dana, Dinah, all of 'em. I had to free 'em, don't ya see?"
To see his wife cry was something the Radio Demon had never liked. What was new was the sight of her groveling at his feet. He didn't like that either.
Forgetting his anger for the moment, he patted her head. "I do see."
She looked up at him. "You do?"
Alastor nodded, taking her by the chin. "I know you would've never posed for Valentino willingly, unless…something else had been at stake. Just tell me this, dear."
His eyes glowed as he leaned in. "Was that all that sleazy insect made you do?"
Static rose at the thought of hunting the pimp down and making mincemeat out of him.
"Yeah, that's it." Tina took his hand. "I mean…he wanted me to do more, but I made sure that was it."
Alastor sighed. "Thank Satan for that, at least."
"Al? Are you…angry with me?"
The reply didn't come right away. "N-No."
His hand shook in her grasp. She released it.
"You are angry with me."
"I'm not."
Tina stood. "Your antlers are growing."
His hands flew to his antlers. "I'm fine."
She backed away.
"I am." Alastor rose to his feet, his form several inches higher than before. "Darling, don't run from me."
At the change in his voice, Tina halted. "Please, Al. Don't do this again."
He heaved a breath, shrinking slightly. "I'm not doing anything."
"Yes, you are." She planted her feet on the floor and squared her shoulders. "You're doing the same thing ya did ten years ago, pretendin' like everything's fine when it's not." Then she shouted, "Please, just stop sayin' you're fine and be fucking honest with me!"
"You want me to be honest? Fine!" He threw up his arms. "Yes, I'm angry! How can I not be angry when I find my wife's naked image plastered all over Hell?!"
She hung her head. "So, you are angry with me."
"No! Yes! I mean…" Alastor folded his arms as he paced the room. "Why? Why, why, why did you go to Valentino of all demons?!"
"I told you why." Tina clenched her hands. "I know what I did was wrong, but I figured nudes was better than lettin' him fuck me. He promised it was for his own personal use and he wouldn't publish 'em, but he found a loophole and—"
"Yes, I know why you did it!" He faced her, the corners of his mouth twitching. "I'm furious at that insect for taking advantage of you, but I'm also furious at you. Not because you posed nude for another man, though I'm obviously not too pleased about that either."
His antlers grew and his eyes glowed as he stepped towards her. "I'm angry because you thought it necessary to…to degrade yourself to save your companions. That you deliberately went to that adulterous pimp, knowing what he would ask of you, when you could've come to me."
As the Radio Demon stood toe to toe with his wife, static and Vodou symbols surrounded them both. "I could've helped you. I could've made a deal with Valentino that wouldn't have cost you your dignity. I could've helped you with everything. Your business, your troubles, everything. Damn it, Tina, I was supposed to ensure no one ever hurt you like this again!"
So, that was the real reason he was angry. Not because of the photos, but because he'd been excluded from the whole affair.
Tina lifted her gaze to meet his. "But at what price?"
"Nothing," he whispered, the static dissipating. "It would've cost you nothing."
Now she was angry. Because she knew this to be a lie.
"No," she said through her sharpening teeth. "In the time we were separated, you would've taken any opportunity to get me back. The second I came to ya for help, ya would've thrown me over your shoulder and carried me to the manor."
"I would not have!"
"You literally struck a deal with me the second I came to this hotel!"
Alastor was quiet for a moment. "Well…what was I supposed to do? You wouldn't listen to me otherwise."
"I listen."
"No! For the last ten years, you've done nothing but shut me out!" He poked her in the chest. "We could've resolved this ages ago, if you'd just let me talk!"
She swatted his hand away. "If you wanted to talk so bad, why didn't you come after me when I left?!"
His eyes blinked to normal. "I'm…confused. When you packed up your things, stormed out of the house, demanded that I leave you alone, it gave off the impression that you didn't want me to come after you."
"Well, I did! Five minutes after I left, I was about to turn back, but then ya just gave up and had your damn shadow drop off my rings! Then ya do nothing for ten years, then invade my life all outta the blue! Damn it, Al, how am I supposed to react to that?!"
"Nothing?" Alastor scowled. "You think I did nothing all this time?"
He advanced on her, forcing her to back away. "I may have given you time and space to make up your mind, but I never stopped trying to win you back!"
Tina's back hit the foot of the bed. As he was still approaching her, she climbed onto it.
"Why do you think I sent those rings after you? Why do you think I have my shadows constantly checking up on you?" He crawled onto the bed like a panther about to pounce on its prey. "Why do you think I sent you mountains of letters once I learned your address? Why do you think I visited your club every other week?"
He planted an arm on either side of her, trapping her at the head of the bed. "I even called ahead, but that damn secretary of yours would hang up every single fucking time!"
Although he was shouting, and the glow in his eyes was threatening, their position on the bed, and his passionate words caused Tina to blush. And suddenly, the heat from her anger became heat from something else entirely.
"You…" She panted, glancing at the thin but strong arms entrapping her. "You…came to my club? W-Wrote me letters?"
"Y-Yes." Alastor recoiled in bewilderment. "Didn't…didn't you order your lackeys to keep me out?"
"I…never got any letters. And nobody told me you came. Or called." Tina sat up. "I…I thought ya didn't care enough to show."
"Of course, I cared." He leaned in, gently this time. "Even when they refused me entry, I snuck in anyway. Even if you didn't want to see me, I still wanted to at least catch a glimpse of you. Sometimes I'd catch one of your performances. They're better than listening to your records."
Her heart thumped wildly. "You… Why didn't ya say anything? If ya were so desperate for my attention, what was stoppin' ya from tearing my club to the ground?"
Alastor tilted his head. "Even I'm aware that destroying a woman's property isn't the way to her heart."
"I mean ya could've. Ya could've been more…forceful. I mean…breaking into my club and whiskin' me away would've been a lot less convoluted than investin' in a random hotel for redemption and expectin' me to show up."
"Oh, believe me." His voice grew quieter. "The thought did cross my mind."
"Why didn't ya then?" She rose to her knees so that she was at his eyelevel. "Like ya said, this could've been resolved ages ago. And yeah, I could've let ya talk, but ya also could've made more of an effort to get me to listen."
"More of an effort?" Static spiked. "You mean like kidnapping you? Threatening you?" His back arched as he loomed over her. "Would you have liked me to tie you up in the basement, lock you up and throw away the key, so that you'd have no choice but to interact with me?"
She was back against the headboard as his radio voice hit its peak.
"Oh, darling," he growled, "you have no idea how hard it is for me not to entertain such thoughts."
She gulped. "Y-You have thoughts like that?"
His nose pressed to hers. "All the time."
Tina quivered. Not in terror, but from the tingling between her thighs. The idea of him tying her up sounded so…
"Fucking damn it!" She pushed him off her. "This sick shit ain't healthy!"
"Don't you think I know that?!" Alastor tore at his hair. "I'm a murderer! And you make me so furious sometimes that I can't help but think things like that! But I don't, because I love you too damn much!"
"That's not what I'm talking about!"
He paused before he could remove a clump of hair. "Huh?"
"It ain't healthy," she said, pounding her fists against her head, "that your damn psychotic shit is turnin' me on! God, what the hell is wrong with me?!"
"I… What?" He lowered his hands. "So, now you're angry with me, because…you find my threats…attractive?"
"I know, I know! Any sane person would run screamin' at this crap, but damn, look at ya, Al!" She gestured to him. "Even when you're losin' your shit, you're still the sexiest man unalive! And the fact that this ain't a dealbreaker for me makes me wonder which one of us is more screwed up!"
Blushing, and not knowing whether this was an insult or a come-on, Alastor tapped his fingers together. "Does, err…?" He cleared his throat. "Does this mean…we're not fighting anymore?"
"What are you, a fucking idiot? Of course we're still fighting! Ya think this is suddenly over just cuz I called ya a hot psychotic bastard?!"
And the anger was back. "You, madam, are quite possibly the stubbornest, proudest, most aggravating woman I've ever had the displeasure of meeting."
Tina snorted through her nostrils. "And you, sir, are the brashest, vainest, most annoying bastard who's butted his way into my life!"
He crossed his arms. "Bratty!"
She placed her hands on her hips. "Callow!"
He crawled towards her. "Vulgar!"
She did the same. "Prudish!"
They now sat knee-to-knee.
"Contrary!"
"Egotistical!"
He stretched as high as he could. "Dithering!"
She also rose, her eyes glaring into his. "Controlling!"
"Avoidant!"
"Clingy!"
"I wish I never married you!"
"I wish I never married you!"
"Finally, we agree on something!"
"I guess so!"
"Good!"
"Good!"
It was impossible to determine who closed the distance between their lips. But when they met, both sets of arms flew into an embrace. Somewhere, in all the shouting, the passionate anger had transformed into passionate desire.
Alastor broke the kiss momentarily to say, "I didn't mean it, darling."
"Neither did I," Tina breathed.
Then they returned to kissing. Only for her to pull away a second later.
"Wait, wait. Think the others are expectin' us downstairs?"
"As far as they're concerned," he said with a shrug and a sly smirk, "you're still unconscious."
That brought her lips back to his. As he clutched her by the shoulders, she pushed against his chest.
The moment Alastor's back hit the mattress, he became uncomfortably aware that Tina was on top of him. And that she was straddling him.
"Don't worry, Al." She leaned down, her hands trailing up his chest. "I won't push ya. We can take this as far as ya want it."
While he understood his wife was trying to quell his panic, it didn't. Not in the least.
What it did do was reawaken those horrifying nude images, and the words of the Three Vs:
What kind of husband isn't man enough to sleep with his own wife?
No wonder she had to hire someone to do your job for you.
Why bother marrying her if you're just gonna leave her high and dry?
You couldn't bone her once?
How does it feel? Knowing I've seen your wife naked more times than you?
You'll never be enough for her.
It was true. Alastor could feel it in the way Tina was clinging to him. Even if she said what they had was alright now, what if she got bored again? What if she sought another for company? What if they fought again? What if she left again? What if she was forced to put herself in another unpleasant situation like with Valentino?
All because the Radio Demon wasn't man enough to sleep with his own wife.
Well, he had hoped for this moment to have a more romantic segway, but it was a little late for that. Then again, perhaps not.
He snapped his fingers to turn on the radio to slow jazz. Then switched the light off so that the two of them were illuminated only by the soft red and yellow glow of his eyes and smile.
Then, tossing his monocle aside, Alastor took Tina's face in his hands and brought it down so he could kiss her. She moaned as she shifted her body along his, their pelvises scraping together. It took everything in him not to seethe in discomfort.
Don't back out. Maybe it'll get going if you go slowly.
With this in mind, he reached behind her back. His fingers enclosed around the zipper of her dress and pulled down.
To his surprise, Tina sat up, her hands flying to her back as she stared at him wide-eyed.
"Darling?" Alastor propped himself up on his forearms. "What's the matter? Did I…did I do something wrong?"
Had he killed the mood already?
"N-No. Just…" She looked down, her arms bracing her chest. "I… You see… So many people have…seen them tonight, and…" Her voice grew quieter. "You must feel…disgusted."
With a small, sympathetic smile, he sat fully up.
"Mon amour." He lifted her chin. "If there was any…disgust I felt tonight, it was not towards you."
His hand slid its way through her barrier. Tina gasped as he ran it along her breasts.
"What can I do to help you see that?"
"I, uh…" Her words caught in her throat as his fingers teased along the neckline of her dress. "I, uh, d-don't…"
As he brushed his fingers against her fur, he realized that despite her showing more skin in their recent interactions, the two of them hadn't really been touching. Kissing, yes, but not touching. His gloves and his own clothes had been in the way. They were still in the way.
To prepare himself, the Radio Demon closed his eyes and took a breath.
The jacket was the first to go. He heard a gasp as he unbuttoned his dress shirt, revealing his scarred chest. He opened his eyes to see their red glow blending with Tina's blushing cheeks.
Then, the biggest shocker by far, he proceeded to remove his gloves. A rare act, even in their most blissful years.
Tina was spellbound as Alastor took her hands to remove her gloves. And rings, of course. So that both pairs of hands were touching, skin to skin. She gazed down at them and scoffed.
"Did ya get a manicure?"
Last time she'd seen those nails, they were long, filthy and brittle. While they were still long, they'd been cleaned and filed.
"I wanted to look my best tonight," he explained, bringing one of her hands to his lips. "For you, chère."
As if that didn't have her flustered enough, he guided her hands to his chest. Her right, he rested over his heart. It thumped faster, both in affection as well as nervousness. He was not used to being so exposed. To have someone touch him there.
Alastor allowed her to explore his chest, to trace his scars. His breath hitched when she reached sensitive spots, but he did not stop her. After a while, he found the slow movements of her warm hand soothing, causing his ears to fall flat.
Surely if she saw how much he trusted her with his body, she could trust him with hers.
Once Tina's curiosity was satisfied, she took Alastor's hands and returned them to her back. He interpreted this as permission to undo the zipper.
As the front of her dress fell from her chest, she instinctively covered herself with her arms again. Rather than ask her to remove them, or do it himself, he went to work on the clasp of the ruby pendant around her neck.
"I meant it, you know." He set the necklace aside. "When I said you're the most beautiful creature I ever laid eyes on."
"I just…" She hung her head. "Wish ya were the only one ever to see me like this."
He leaned forward. "Will I be the only one from now on?"
She met his gaze, and nodded.
"Then let me see you." His hands closed over hers. "All of you."
Alastor made no move to lower her hands. Instead, he waited. Until Tina found the courage to lower them herself.
The nudes flashed into his mind. The twisted position of her body. The squeamish expression on her face.
He shook it off. That was not how she was going to look. Because this would be her choice, not some pervert's.
It would be their choice.
Alastor's arms encircled Tina as he leaned in and kissed her cleavage. Then, just as he'd allowed her hands to explore his chest, she allowed his to explore hers.
Through much fumbling, they managed to get Tina's dress fully off, leaving her in her slip shorts and tights. With her legs free, she wrapped them around Alastor's waist. It was then his turn to push her back onto the mattress, her head hitting the pillows. As her wings pulled him closer, he began kissing her neck.
"Lord, Al!" Tina clung to him as the passionate heat coursed through her. "Don't ya…don't ya think we should stop?"
"Do you?" he murmured against her collarbone.
The pressure of his hand on her thigh decided her answer. "N-Not really."
"Hmm. Then no."
And so he continued leaving kisses on her bare torso. Tina felt like passing out a second time tonight from the overwhelming amount of physical affection he was showering upon her.
Her pelvis was screaming for more. By Satan, she wanted to feel this man inside her so badly. How would he do it? Would he go slowly, or hard? Either way, she imagined it would feel a hundred times better than the dissatisfying, disconnected trysts she'd put up with.
But she had to control herself, knowing Alastor didn't want to go all the way with her. It was best to extinguish the flames of desire before they spread too far.
"A-Al?"
He was pecking her stomach now. "Mmm-hmm?"
It was so hardnot to imagine that mouth of his going lower.
"I-I think…" She squeaked as her behind was groped. "W-We should stop."
Static spiked as he lifted his gaze towards her. "Am I…not satisfying you, darling?"
"I-It's not that."Her entire face was red, not just from the glow of his eyes. "It's just…" She bit her lip. "I'm feeling, err, r-really excited right now. A-And since I know ya don't wanna do m-more, I should…"
Tina tried to sit up, but his body was quick to squish her to the bed.
"Al, p-please." Her heartbeat accelerated. "I-If we keep this up, I'm gonna wanna do…ya know, everything."
His eyes took on a softer glow as he caressed her cheek. "Why don't we then?"
That stopped her heart. "What?"
"You heard me, darling." Alastor shifted so that he was sitting on her hips. "I believe we've held off our consummation long enough, don't you agree?"
Ugh. Can't believe how uncomfortable this chapter made me. There were so many paths to take that I hope I made it feel natural enough. It was also meant to be longer, but given how long you've all been waiting, and how long it was getting, I decided to split it.