December 24th, Christmas Eve.
Alastor sat uncomfortably in the hotel lobby by the fireplace. His characteristic smile wavered slightly on his face, although you wouldn't see it unless you were sitting right next to him. It wasn't the couch's lack of quality that made him uncomfortable however. That can be attributed to the deal he had made last night. A bet between him and Angel Dust.
When he returned to the hotel that day after his usual activities, Angel was waiting for him. He figured he was going to make his usual crass remarks, having chosen him as the new target of his crude flirting. What happened instead surprised him. He asked if he wanted to accept a bet between them, one that, if he won, would mean Angel would never bother him again. No more inquiries into the size of his genitals, no more propositions, not even a glance his way. The idea intrigued him, so Alastor asked for more details. The game was a simple one, he and Angel would go on a date together. It would have to be at least one hour, enough time for Angel to try and impress the overlord. Should, after that hour, he feel like leaving, then Angel would have to do as he said and leave him alone. But if he wanted more, then Angel wins and Alastor would have to continue to deal with him. Although he kept their rendezvous a secret, as Angel wanted to surprise him, Alastor accepted the conditions. To him it was an easy bet to win, and he wanted nothing more than to be free of Angel's venereal proclivities.
Now here he sat, waiting for him to show up. He should've asked for a specific time. Angel said "tomorrow night", but that could mean anything and it felt like he'd been waiting hours already. Or maybe it was the trepidation that made it seem that way. It wasn't that he hated Angel, rather it was the way he acted that he disliked. Were he a different person, Alastor may have been inclined to see the allure in the spider that others did. Although he'd never admit it, there were moments where he'd see him from afar and find something charming about him. Yet his constant sexual humor and unasked-for flirting made him avoid him as best he could, but he always managed to find him eventually. And unfortunately he couldn't get rid of him when he was being a nuisance either, due to Charlie enforcing a strict policy on "not harming the hotel guests". But if he won this bet he wouldn't need to worry about that anymore. So although he was wary of spending time alone with him, he began to breathe a little easier. Then he heard Angel's voice coming from down the hall.
"It's da most wonderful time of da year!" He heard him sing, loudly and off-key, and he could feel his anxiety ramp up again.
When Angel emerged from the hallway, Alastor could see he was wearing a sparkling red dress that extended down to the floor and just barely contained the excess fur on his chest. Both sets of arms were exposed, and dressed up with elbow-length white gloves. He had full make-up on, black mascara lined his eyes and his lips were as red as the dress he wore. He certainly was taking this bet seriously. Alastor couldn't help internally acknowledging how good he looked. But then he remembered who he was looking at and the thought was driven from his mind. When Angel spotted him, he flashed him a smile and walked over at a brisk pace.
"It really is," he said, "especially when you got a date with a hot overlord." The comment made Alastor's eye twitch. If Angel was planning on winning he should've refrained from acting like his usual self, although that probably would be asking too much of the pornstar. As if to further lower his chances in Alastor's mind, he watched as he reached his hand into his furry cleavage and pulled out a small piece of mistletoe.
"Come here handsome," he said, puckering his lips. Alastor's eyes widened as he bent down closer to him, and before he could draw nearer Alastor produced his microphone and used it to put distance between the two of them. He roughly pushed the end of it into Angel's chest, sending radio feedback along with it, causing Angel to open his eyes with a smile.
"Aw, c'mon Al it's mistletoe, you gotta give me at least one kiss. It's bad luck if you don't. And trust me, you'll need all the luck you can get."
"I'll take my chances," Alastor said, standing up while keeping the microphone on Angel to make sure he kept his distance.
Angel shrugged, "Ah well, it was worth a shot." He tucked the mistletoe back in, and Alastor slowly removed the microphone from Angel's body. Angel then gestured to the door, allowing Alastor to go first, while he followed close behind. Once they exited the hotel they found the limo waiting outside. Angel told him he'd have Razzle and Dazzle drive them as this was the only form of transportation the hotel offered, and neither of them owned a vehicle. They climbed into the backseat, one after the other, and when the door closed the limo began to drive off towards the as-yet-to-be-known destination.
They sat side-by-side, which only made Alastor uneasy and he occasionally glanced over at Angel to make sure he didn't try to come onto him again. But as the limo continued to drive, Angel didn't move on him once. He simply looked outside the window and smiled to himself, not paying him any attention. Although this was uncharacteristic of him, Alastor felt himself relax a little bit. Maybe after that firm shove earlier he finally learned to respect his boundaries, or maybe he just learned that trying to force physical contact between them was pointless. Whatever the reason he was thankful nonetheless.
Unbeknownst to him, Angel was simply happy to be with him. He genuinely felt something towards Alastor, yet he couldn't put his finger on why that was. Maybe it was the mystery of the man that enticed him, or how he acted so courteously despite the things he's been known to do. He's had to deal with his fair share of brutes, so he relished the thought of being with someone so gentlemanly. And maybe with their time together he could uncover some of that mystery and truly learn more about him. Although he framed it as a bet, he really wanted to just have a date with the overlord. He hoped that if it went well enough they both would forget about the bet entirely, and learn to enjoy each other's company. His head was totally in the clouds and he didn't feel like coming back down until the night was over.
After a long period of silence, Angel addressed Alastor, "Hey Al, you ever miss snow?"
Alastor looked over at him, slightly confused at the attempt of small talk. "Not really," he said simply.
"Ah, well, I do. Dunno how long it's been since I've last seen snow. It never snows down here, or if it does it ain't in this ring." He turned away from the window and laid back in his seat, "It used to snow every Christmas when I was alive, it was always great seeing it. Me, my brother and sister, we'd go out and toss snowballs at each other. Make some snowmen, snow angels, the works." Angel paused, lost in his memories, "On those days it felt like we were a family again."
His smile faded as the words left his lips, and he shook his head and turned away from Alastor again. Alastor looked at the back of his head in thought. The way Angel was behaving was vastly different to the person he saw before they left. The small talk, the genuine attempt at conversation, how restrained he kept himself. He didn't know what game he was playing at, but he decided to indulge him in this. The silence in the car was unnerving and talking would definitely make the drive seem faster.
"I didn't have a lot of snow where I lived, that's why I don't miss it," he started, getting Angel's attention. "It rarely got cold either. But, my mother, she would always make hot chocolate and cookies every Christmas regardless." At the mention of his mother, a pleasant hum seemed to emanate from him. "It'll help keep you warm, she would say. Although, I'm sure the oven was more than enough for that."
The comment was enough to make Angel chuckle, so enthralled he was learning anything about him. Alastor looked at him, seeing the slight smile on his face, and he couldn't help but smile a little more himself. It was like he was seeing a version of the spider he never saw before, one that was more pleasing than his pornstar persona. Although he still felt cautious, a small part of him felt like opening up. But then he glanced past Angel's face, and his demeanor changed.
Out the window he saw buildings flash by, with neon signs reading "XXX" and "Boys, Girls, and All The Rest". He knew where they were, and the soft music that flowed around the car ceased. He finally realized what Angel was doing. He was getting him to relax, the casual conversation was a front for his real intentions with him. He should have known better. Not that any amount of talking would be enough to get him to sleep with him, but the fact he tried got under his skin. He reminded himself that this was just a bet and nothing more, and if he was trying to convince him to have sex within the one hour they had together he would be sorely disappointed.
"Y'know, I never heard you talk about any family before. I mean, you've probably heard me talk about my brother at least a couple times, but nothin' from you. How close were you to them?" Angel asked sincerely.
Alastor didn't catch it, believing he held ulterior motives. "I'd rather not talk about this anymore," he said curtly, turning away from him.
Angel looked shocked at how short he was with him, and he started to think if he said the wrong thing. He didn't know if family was a touchy subject for him; then again he never talked about it so he should have at least assumed. Rather than push Alastor any further, Angel let him be and they returned to silence once more.
After some time, the limo pulled to a stop. The guilty look that was on Angel's face was replaced by a smile, and he turned to Alastor excitedly. "Alright, this is the place. You're gonna love it I promise."
Alastor didn't believe him. They were still in the one part of Pentagram City he avoided. The only things here were sex shops, cheap motels, and vending machines that held drugs. There was nothing that could possibly hold his interest. Despite this Angel looked at him with delight. Of course he would, Alastor thought.
Before he could protest, Angel pushed open the door and hopped out of his side of the limo, then jogged around to Alastor's side to meet him. Knowing he agreed to this, Alastor heaved a heavy sigh, then stepped out himself. He closed the door behind him, then looked at the building they stopped in front of, and his eyes widened in surprise.
The place Angel took them to had a sign on top reading "Candy Club", and a neon sign on the side of the building that said "Jazz". It was a bonafide jazz club, with stylings that reminded him of similar establishments when he was alive. It was grand in scale, at least five stories tall, but he knew most of the floors were miscellaneous apartments while the real party was on the first floor. Besides that the building was pretty plain outside of the impressive architecture. Alastor couldn't help but look around, thinking this was still some sort of trick as it looked way out of place compared to the area surrounding it. Angel saw the stunned look on his face and couldn't help but giggle.
"I knew you'd like it, and if you think the outside looks great you should see the inside!" Angel reached out and grabbed Alastor's hand. Normally he would protest but he was still whirling over what he was seeing; so he allowed Angel to walk him through the front doors and into the main room. What he saw next impressed him even more.
It was a spacious room, fitting with the size of the building it was contained in. Beautiful chandeliers lined the center of the ceiling, casting bright light over most of the space. Arches sat off either side of the center of the room, seemingly separating this space from the sides, which held booths meant to seat small groups. As for the center, most of the floor was covered with small tables spaced out between each other. They were dressed in red cloth, a pair of seats stood at each one, and a candle was placed on the tables' center. Past these tables there was an open space in front of the main stage where people would be able to dance to the music playing. However no such music was playing right now, the stage left empty save for a piano in the corner. The band was more than likely taking a break when they came in. So the few patrons that were in this establishment were seated at their tables, eating food or talking to each other, trying to pass the time until the music returned.
To Angel it was just a nice place, no different from any other fancy establishment he had been to. But to Alastor it was perfection. A reminder of the better times of his life, before the world moved on and technology took over, replacing everything he once held dear. He didn't understand how this place existed, nor why it was located where it was, but it didn't matter. He turned to Angel, about to compliment him for what would be the first time. But then another voice spoke up.
"Well holy shit, look who just walked in."
The voice was low and gravelly, and upon hearing it Alastor saw Angel's face turn pale. Turning towards the direction he looked, he saw Valentino and Vox walking up to them. When he saw Vox, his cocky smile growing wider as he walked closer, he grew more serious and stared him down. Eventually they stopped in front of them, and they looked at each other with a mix of expressions. Vox looked between Alastor and Angel, seeing how Angel hid himself behind the overlord to try and avoid Valentino's gaze. The connection he made was immediate.
Vox cackled, "I'll admit Al, never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect you to hook up with someone. Least of all some whore." He looked at Angel as he uttered the slur, and Angel could only look down at the floor in response. The comment, however, got under Alastor's skin, just as Vox intended.
"Oh please," Alastor said, "Angel simply made a bet with me, one I intend to win. Whatever sick thoughts you have should be discarded. Unless you want me to empty your head for you?" He asked, radio static accompanying his threat as seemingly random symbols floated around him.
Vox wasn't intimidated by the display. Instead, electricity bounced between his fingers as he bent his arms at his sides, ready for a fight. "Bring it old man, I'll fry you and your slut."
The two never got to make a move however, as Valentino stepped between them. "Babe, tuck your dick away," he said, "that's my slut you're threatening. Besides, I don't think any of us want to ruin this lovely business, do we?"
He looked between Vox and Alastor, and slowly they calmed down and ended their equal displays of power. Valentino smiled, "That's what I thought. You boys have plenty of time to kill each other some other day. Anyway," his attention returned to his partner as he dragged a seductive finger under his chin, "we were just leaving. Voxy promised me some alone time. And you're more fun when you're in one piece."
Vox looked up at the moth with lust, "You're right babe." He glanced at Alastor, "Some other time then?"
"Always," Alastor said, trying his best to not let his anger show. Vox grinned at him, then hooked his arm through Valentino and led the both of them towards the door.
Upon crossing Angel, Valentino had them stop so he could address the two of them one last time. "Alastor, don't keep Angel-cakes out too long. He still has money to make up to me tomorrow." He leaned down until he was right next to Angel's face, "Ain't that right?"
Angel's breathing grew harder, and he slowly nodded, his eyes darting between his boss and the floor. "Yes… Mistah Valentino."
Valentino chuckled at him before standing back up, allowing Vox to continue their departure out of the club. Once the doors closed behind them, Alastor clicked his tongue.
"What a pair of despicable creatures. With any luck they'll get into an automobile accident, and rid us of their insufferable presence." When he finished he breathed in deeply, closing his eyes. Once the re-opened he seemed to be in better spirits, and he looked at Angel. "Well, c'mon, the game is afoot. Let's see what you can do with the remaining time we have together."
He walked away and further into the club, not paying attention to the change in Angel's demeanor. It wasn't until a couple seconds later he realized he couldn't feel Angel's presence near him, and he turned around. He saw him still standing by the door, looking back at it and holding himself closely. He walked back up to him, looking at him curiously, although Angel didn't pay him any attention. For a moment he didn't react to him being there, his thoughts were infused with the events that transpired before.
You're a whore. Oh please, why would I date him? This was a bet, nothing more. Why else would I be around him?
"Angel?" Alastor asked, his voice breaking through his thoughts. "Are you coming?"
Angel didn't look at him, his head merely turned down to the floor. He didn't respond for a couple seconds. But then he shook his head, "Let's just leave. I'm… I'm not in the mood to do this anymore."
The answer surprised Alastor, and he looked closer at Angel. He noted how upset he was, the usual confidence he had was completely drained from him. The way he was left a husk of his usual self bothered him, and a part of him grew concerned for the spider. Before he could think more about it, he felt the question leave his lips.
"Angel, are you alright?"
Angel forced out a laugh at the question, one that was somewhat choked by tears. "Don't act like ya give a shit now." He tilted his head up to address the overlord directly. "You're just here because of a bet, those were your words. No other reason to be wit a whore like me."
The response confused him, and he made it known. "Now hold on," Alastor said, "you were the one to propose this bet to begin with. That is exactly why we're here. Why do you suddenly think otherwise?"
The question was blunt, but even in his sadness Angel knew he was right. The feeling of elation he was in earlier had completely dissipated as he was dragged back down to reality. He made a bet, and Alastor agreed. This wasn't a date, just another game. He should know this, he was the one who created it. Yet despite that, he truly believed something more would've come from this. But it all seemed pointless now that he had been reminded what he was, what he always will be.
Angel coughed slightly and sniffled, "You're right." He rubbed his eyes, black eyeliner stained the pristine white gloves he wore. "This was a stupid way to get a normal date. Dunno why I thought this would be anything more than what I made it out to be. A bet."
"A normal date?" Alastor asked. The words seemed so strange to him, did Angel truly think he could get him to believe that's all this was? While he was enamoured by the glamor of the place they were in, the presence of Valentino and Vox helped to remind him where this building was located, and he let Angel know his thoughts plainly.
"Angel, this place is charming I'll admit, but don't act like I didn't see where we were. I'm not a fool, I think I know what you're really trying to get out of me."
The implication of his words stabbed through Angel's heart like a knife. Hearing them, his face twisted into a deeper sadness, before they were quickly replaced by anger. Such a change in expression put Alastor on guard, as Angel's hands balled into fists and he stepped closer to him.
"Oh yeah, cause that's all I eva' want. Satan forbid I actually like ya and I made that stupid fuckin' bet cause I knew it was the only way to get to know ya betta'. Mistah 'I won't do shit unless you shake my fuckin' hand'." His fingers formed air quotes as he mocked Alastor's obsession with deal-making. Dropping his hands to his sides, his head shook softly and he let out a snigger, "Nah, I just needed time to convince you to take me to one of the dingy motels close by so you could use me as you pleased. Just like everyone else. It's all I'm good for, so congrats on putting the pieces together!"
When Angel was finished with his angered outburst it left Alastor feeling dazed and conflicted. He looked into his eyes, seeing the hurt in them, and he realized he may have had a poor analysis of the pornstar based on the persona he put on. The Angel he saw now was the real one. The one that wanted to be treated like a normal person, and not some sex-obsessed addict. The one that longed to genuinely be with another person out of affection rather than a one-night deal. He always wanted more than simple carnal pleasures, and that's why he chose him; because he believed out of everyone he would be the only one to possibly give him what he wanted. Yet he was so blinded by the act he put on every day that he never saw that, until now.
Alastor began to feel guilt fill his mind. Thinking back on it it all made sense, between how he treated him in the drive over to the location he chose. Aside from the interaction in the hotel, he withheld his usual behavior to make him feel as comfortable as possible. He went out of his way to accommodate him with no other underlying purpose. In return, Alastor let the way he saw Angel overshadow the actions he was actually taking, and in doing so all he did was dismiss him at every turn. Breaking away from his thoughts he looked at Angel's face once more. He tried to figure out what to say, but no words came to mind. All he could do was study how Angel looked now, a stark contrast to how he left the hotel. Black streaks ran down his face from the tears he shed, his expression a mixture of melancholy and resentment.
Not getting a response from him, Angel could only scoff and turn back towards the door. "Look, it's obvious you weren't enjoying yourself to begin with, what good will an hour do trying to convince you? So, I give up, you win Alastor. I won't be botherin' you anymore. Let's… let's just go back to the hotel, please."
Alastor reached out towards Angel, but stopped when he heard the patrons erupt into applause. Quickly glancing back he saw that the band had returned and was taking the stage. People started to leave their tables and filter onto the dance floor in front. At that moment an idea formed in his head, and he knew what to do. He turned back to Angel, seeing his hand reaching towards the door. His own hand then shot out and grabbed Angel's opposite arm firmly, and he spun him around so he was facing him and he was in his arms. The action left Angel slightly confused, and when he saw Alastor looking up at him with their hands joined together only one sentence came to mind.
"Al, what the fuck are yo-"
"I may have been too rash with my words earlier, and for that I apologize. I feel we should try again, the band's back now after all and the least we could do is dance to one song." The words flowed quickly out of Alastor's mouth, interrupting whatever complaints Angel had and demanding him to listen. But when he did, he was less than obliging.
Angel couldn't believe his sudden change of heart, and now he was the one to be less trusting of his temporary partner. "Are you serious Al? I told you, bet's done, you win." He shook himself free of his grip, and felt his heart grow heavy as emotions overwhelmed him. He just wanted to go home after everything that just happened, but Alastor decided to mess with his feelings. It was growing too much for him to bear.
"Why isn't that enough for you? Why do you have to mock me on top of that, pretending that you actually care?"
His questions served to quiet Alastor as regret further filled his body. He was so vulnerable now, and Alastor knew it was his fault. But despite his doubts he had to convince him that this wasn't a ruse, just like Angel did with him. Angel had to give him the chance Alastor should have given him from the start.
Although Angel had his arms tucked close to his body now, Alastor courteously extended a hand up to him; a silent gesture that he should take it. "Angel, please, humor me. I understand that what I said was… unfair, and I want to have the chance to make things right. Who knows? Maybe this will be enough to change both our minds. But if afterwards you still feel like ending this, then I'll accept the conditions of the bet and we can leave without complaint."
He looked at Angel, awaiting his response. Angel looked up from Alastor towards the band, who were finishing setting up their instruments, then back down at him. As much as he still wanted to leave, a part of him was considering Alastor's words, wanting to believe that what he said was genuine. Eventually, after a moment of internal conflict, he went against his greater judgement and took Alastor's hand with a sigh. Alastor tried his best to reassure Angel, giving him a comforting smile, but he wasn't paying attention to him anymore. He let Alastor lead him up to the front of the stage with the other demon pairings, and they settled on an empty space near the center of the floor. He turned to face Angel again, taking both of his hands in his, clearly settling into position as leader of the dance. Angel retracted his lower arms so they weren't hanging awkwardly by his sides; he doubted Alastor would've allowed him to wrap them around his waist.
"Alright all you love-birds out there, we're coming back with a special Christmas classic," the female singer said, introducing the song they were about to play. "I'm not sure if most of you know, but Santa Claus doesn't always come around winter. Sometimes he likes to drop by a little earlier, and on those days he leaves the best gifts of all. Let us tell you all about it."
Alastor got a gleam in his eye as he realized which song she was referring to. It was one of the last songs he listened to before he died, and he knew how to dance to it well. Angel recognized the slight change in his expression and he questioned him about it.
"You know what she's talkin' about Smiles?"
As the saxophones blasted out the first couple of notes, Alastor started to step along to the tune and Angel gracefully followed with him. It looks like that answers the question of his dancing ability. With that thought, he answered Angel.
"I do, Santa Claus Came in the Spring. It's quite a good tune, I've listened to it many times before on the radio."
Immediately after those initial notes, guitar, trombones, and trumpets followed. They accompanied the tune and played, what Angel admitted, was a nice melody. The singer didn't lend her voice to the music yet, instead she danced conservatively on the stage to the rhythms. Seeing this, Angel couldn't help but look around them to see how everyone else danced. They all matched the way he and Alastor we're locked together, one partner in the other's arms, leading the way as they swayed to the music. It was like a completely different world here compared to the many places he had to perform in and how he saw them dance. No rough gyrations or moves that looked more like fully-clothed sex than dancing. It looked sweet, romantic, like they were bonding through simple motions and the music that flowed between them.
His attention was drawn away from his surroundings when he felt Alastor pull him in closer, placing his hand on his back and extending their joined hands out to the side. This closeness was uncharacteristic of him and for once Angel was uncomfortable.
Without interrupting the rhythm of their motions, he couldn't help but ask, "Alastor? Umm, don't ya think this is a little close?"
Alastor smiled up at him, "This is how we dance to jazz my dear. Keep following my steps, you're doing wonderfully."
The praise was even more unexpected than the lack of distance between them, and Angel could feel himself blushing. "O-ok," was all he could say. Alastor returned his stare towards the direction their hands were pointing in, and Angel followed his look.
Alastor was in his element again, so focused was he on the music that resonated throughout the building. He thought to himself how fantastic the band was. Their recreation of Benny Goodman was near one-to-one, he could only hope the woman on stage would sing just as well as him when her part came up. With Angel in his arms he stepped to the beat, swaying their bodies side to side slowly to match the pace of the song, and rotated them in a small circle so they didn't interfere with the other dancers.
"It'll be a minute before it's her turn to play," Alastor said, addressing the question he knew was floating through Angel's mind as he watched her dance on-stage. "So while it's just the music, I wanted to ask, how did you find this place?"
"I didn't sleep with anyone here, if that's what you actually meant," Angel said, still bitter about recent events. Alastor grew quiet, re-focusing back on the music and the dance. Feeling this, Angel sighed, "I was passing by it on the way back to the hotel about a week ago. I never seen it before so I was curious and I looked around. I remembered how much you liked this kind of music, and how much you talked about this stuff in general, so I figured you'd like coming here."
Alastor looked up at him, his confession distracting him slightly from the music. He knew about this place a week in advance, and he'd been planning on taking him here all this time. "You… remembered my music tastes?"
Angel parted eyes with him for a moment, "Yeah, I said I liked you didn't I? I figured if maybe we went on a date here you'd see that and… maybe you'd like me too." He paused, muttering under his breath, "Like that'll ever happen."
The sullen look filled his face again, and for the first time seeing him unhappy made Alastor feel a twinge of pain in his heart. Once more he resolved to make this right. When the music picked up, he pulled Angel away from him and swiftly spun him around, then dipped him to the floor as the music fell back down to it's usual slow pace. Angel's eyes were wide and he couldn't help wrapping his arms around Alastor's neck out of fear of falling. But he had no intention of dropping him, keeping him up with his arms on his back.
"The night's still young Angel, why don't we see where it takes us before making any quick judgments?" Alastor pulled Angel back to his feet and returned him to his earlier position beside him.
He casually fell back into the rhythm of the beat, while Angel awkwardly stumbled along, still surprised by the move Alastor pulled on him. Eventually, as the singer took the microphone, he fell back into step with him. From there until the end of the song they spoke not a single word to each other. Held in the embrace of the smaller demon, Angel let him lead on, while he soaked in the moment. He didn't believe it would last so he made sure to enjoy as much of it as he could.
Alastor as well was enjoying himself, and he started to realize it was more than the music that fueled this enjoyment. Holding the taller demon in his arms, he could feel him relax and truly absorb the notes that played out of the band's instruments. He liked holding him this way, controlling his movements as they danced along to this holiday serenade. After a few more lyrics, he felt like he needed to look at his dance partner to see how he was enjoying himself. When he did, he found Angel with a smile on his face, something that had been absent since they had that unfortunate encounter. While the mascara staining his face was a reminder of that moment, he looked much happier now. Because of the song, because of him.
Angel could feel Alastor looking at him, and he looked down to meet his gaze. When Angel smiled down at him Alastor could feel a warmth rising in his body. The way he looked at him was sweet and heartfelt, a contrast to the past anger and sadness. Once again he acknowledged how beautiful he looked, and rather than drive the thought away he let it linger this time. He was beautiful.
Now that he was truly seeing Angel for the first time, he was beautiful.
They were completely lost in each other; they didn't even recognize the song was over until the people around them started to applaud the band for their performance, eagerly awaiting the next song. Hearing them, Alastor's hands slid down Angel's back, until they settled on his hands.
Holding them up between them, he asked, "So, do you want to leave?"
Angel was still lost in the earlier moment, and for a few seconds he didn't respond. His eyes blinked a couple times as he processed the question, then he shook his head, "Hell no, you ain't gettin' out of the bet that easily. We still got at least fifty minutes left."
Alastor couldn't help but smile at Angel's response, "Right, of course, the bet." He looked back at the singer to hear what song she was going to sing next. Once he got it, he looked back at Angel. "Well I hope you can keep up then, this next song is a little faster."
Angel waved him away, "Please, I handled that last song, I can handle whatever they got here. How fast can jazz go anyways?"
-1 hour later-
The backdoor to the limo opened and Alastor calmly got in, his hair slightly matted down with sweat from the night he spent dancing. A few seconds after, Angel was next to enter, panting heavily, and he flopped down onto the seat beside him. Alastor couldn't help but chuckle at the exhausted demon. His fur was completely wetted down after the numerous songs they danced through. Even so, Alastor internally commended him a little bit, he managed to keep up with him through every song that played.
"C'mon Al," Angel puffed, "I can keep goin'. Let's go back and eat or somethin', lemme catch my breath."
"It's a bit late for food Angel, and you were going to pass out if we stayed any longer." Alastor then flicked a hand at the open door and it closed behind Angel. The two goat servants in the front took that as their cue to return to the hotel, and the limo rolled away from the club.
Angel nodded weakly, not having any energy to fight Alastor on his point. He laid back against the seat, then as fatigue took over he slowly slid across until his head rested on Alastor's shoulder. He froze up for a moment feeling his head against him, and only relaxed when he told himself Angel more than likely fell asleep.
This was immediately disproven. "Y'know, I may have known how much you liked jazz, but I never knew you could dance so well."
Alastor blushed a little, both from the compliment and from Angel being so close to him. Rather than move him away, he let him lay on him while they talked. "Yes, well, you can also thank my mother for that. She taught me how to dance, and through that I learned to love the music that went with it."
"And that was jazz?"
Alastor looked down at him, "Yes, that it was." He then cocked his head slightly as a question formed in his mind. "But you seemed to be unfamiliar with that dance. How were you able to follow so well?"
Angel chuckled, "Would you believe me if I also said it was my mother?" The question was a little surprising to Alastor. While Angel was forthcoming with talking about his family, thinking back on it he never talked about her before.
Angel continued, "Well, I guess it was her and my sister. My dad thought dancin' was… he didn't really care for it. And my brother always followed what he did, so he didn't like it either." Angel lifted himself off Alastor, sitting up next to him again, and he felt a bit of disappointment feeling him move away. "But yeah, I learned a bit thanks to them. I used that to meet quite a few people, then I learned how to dance in other ways."
Angel giggled at the sexual implication of that comment, but Alastor only gave him a side-stare in response. Angel stopped when he noticed this, thinking he offended him. Although it was always hard to tell with him, considering he smiled all the time. He apologized regardless.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Angel said sheepishly.
A brief silence followed, then Alastor shook his head. "No, I should apologize. I've had false assumptions about you since I first arrived at the hotel. It made me color you in a less-than-positive light and I believed you had underlying motives for calling this date." Angel looked at him, slightly stupefied by his words. He knew he apologized to him before, but this was different from last time. Like he was filled with months of regret and it all came pouring out.
"But I see now there is more to you than your crass words. I truly appreciate you bringing me there. I haven't had that much fun in a long time. I wouldn't mind going again. So, I want… I need to thank you, for all that you've done."
Angel blinked a couple times, his mind hanging on something Alastor confessed, "Wait Smiles, did you say you'd want to go back?"
Alastor didn't respond at first, but he eventually conceded and said, "Yes, I did."
Angel beamed at his response; he nearly hugged him, but refrained from doing so as he didn't want to ruin this moment. He got Alastor to like him, he won. But as he grew content with that thought, the other things Alastor said in his apology began to crawl into his brain. Eventually, he felt he had to address them.
"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, and I accept your apology. But about what you said earlier, having 'false assumptions' and 'me being more than crass words'?" Alastor stiffened hearing Angel repeat what he said back to him. He didn't mean to offend him when he said that, he was trying to explain how his outlook on him changed after the night they had together. But he did see how they could be taken the wrong way, so he braced for what Angel had to say.
"I don't blame you for thinkin' that way about me, a lot of people do." Alastor looked over at Angel upon hearing this, and he continued, "Doesn't help with how I act sometimes either. It's just… somethin' I'm used to doin'. It's the only way to get people to notice me."
The way Angel explained his past actions rubbed Alastor the wrong way. Not because he thought it was a poor explanation, but because he couldn't believe he did it only for attention. There were many positive qualities he could see in him, hidden behind the front he created for himself. And besides that, he exuded a beauty that Alastor couldn't ignore now.
His hand reached out, going against every usual behavior he had, until he placed it on top of Angel's on the seat. Angel met his eyes when he felt his hand on his, confused by the radio demon's touch.
"Well, I wouldn't say that," Alastor said in response to Angel's disclosure of his self-image.
Angel could feel his face flush red, and he turned away from Alastor quickly to hide his embarrassment. Alastor kept his hand on him and looked at him with a sincere smile, before turning away himself. Both demons looked out their respective windows, watching the city go by. Although this served to remind them time was still flowing, the moment that transpired would be held frozen within their minds for the rest of their afterlives.
After some time the limo pulled to a stop, and Angel saw they were back at the hotel. He looked down at the space between him and Alastor, noting he still had his hand on his. Turning his head up he saw Alastor was lost in thought looking out the window. He hadn't noticed they had stopped, or if he did he didn't acknowledge it. So, with a smirk, Angel reached into his fluff and pulled out the mistletoe that was still contained within. While he had it between his fingers, he leaned over and kissed Alastor on the cheek. As soon as he did, he felt Alastor turn his head around and he pulled away with his hands up.
"Angel…" was all Alastor said. Despite his tone he wasn't threatening the spider, he was more uncomfortable than anything. While they did grow closer after tonight's events, such a move was a bit too much for him and he made Angel aware of it.
Angel recognized this, and he tried to calm Alastor down. "What? I told you it was bad luck to refuse a kiss, and look what happened. We met Tweedledickless and Tweedledouchbag. At the very least you can accept that one. You wouldn't want to have bad luck on Christmas would you?"
His words seemed to work, as Alastor noticeably loosened up and Angel saw his shoulders drop. Despite the brief discomfort, Alastor realized that there was nothing wrong with the kiss, and it felt somewhat pleasant. It was innocent and didn't demand more from him; as if it was Angel's way of thanking him for their night together.
With a wistful sigh, he said, "I suppose not. Thank you, Angel."
Angel smiled at his expression of gratitude, and he opened his door to exit the limo. Alastor followed suit and opened his side as well, and they stepped out simultaneously and closed the doors behind them. Angel waited until Alastor walked around to his side of the vehicle, then they both made their way back to the hotel doors. Pushing them open they entered into a darkened lobby; the others who resided here had long since retired to their rooms, and it was time for them to do the same.
Alastor turned and bowed slightly at Angel, saying, "Goodnight my dear, tonight has been a pleasure."
Angel clasped his hands in front of him and he returned the slight bow, "Goodnight to you too Al. And merry Christmas." By the time he looked up again, Alastor was gone, having teleported to his room in his usual manner. Angel shook his head with a small laugh.
"I won't ever get used to that."
Back in his room, Alastor had changed out of his usual red suit into similarly-colored sleepwear, a red silk shirt and pants, and he was sitting on a grand leather recliner. He wasn't feeling like sleeping just yet, the events of the night were still playing in his mind. He could still see himself holding Angel in his arms, the way he smiled as they twirled around together, the look in his eyes every time they met his. And the song that played, the first one they danced to. Without touching it, the small radio he kept beside him turned on and started to tune around, until it found that very song and began to play it softly. While listening to it a content smile spread across his face. He knew he would have to take him back as soon as he could.
