Nervousness and discomfort ran through John's entire being, along with a sense of guilt.

He felt terrible for kissing Charlie. Sure, the argument could be made that she kissed him, but not only did the goliath not pull away, he gladly let himself fall into it once their lips met, so he had no real defense.

It wasn't necessarily that he regretted the action… Charlie was a good woman, and it made John feel a little better that he now knew how he really felt about Charlie, feelings he never really had the chance or the time to focus on in the past.

But at the moment, none of that was his focus.

No, all of his focus, all of his thoughts, were currently engulfed in guilt over the fact that the action was the ultimate betrayal to Rose.

Rose was facing so many problems already, especially in regards to her mental health. Self-hatred being a prominent one, and John could only imagine what this would do.

She was struggling enough as it was, and though he hasn't really noticed anything in regards to episodes, that didn't mean she wasn't trying to keep it quiet. Behind closed doors, per say.

The absolute last thing she needed- no, the last thing she deserved, was to be dealing with something like this.

Admittedly, the passing thought of not saying anything to Rose about it had crossed the behemoth's mind, but he'd squashed it almost immediately. Ignoring the fact that she'd assuredly find out from Vaggie, or Charlie herself, or both at once, John didn't have it in him to even try and keep something like that a secret.

What scared him most… he honestly wasn't sure. Was it her possible reaction that scared him? The downward spiral this could send her into? John wasn't sure. Not at all.

What he did know, however, was that he couldn't put it off.

The door to thier shared room was admittedly approaching far faster than John would like, but still, the giant never slowed until he reached the bedroom.

And he stopped for only a moment, trying to prep himself for this conversation, because what followed was going to be anything but pleasant.

And slowly, he twisted the knob, and pushed the door open.

"Yeah, I know, the concert is next week." John could hear Rose's voice coming from within the bedroom, and as he slowly, quietly stepped inside, he could see her turned away from him, standing in her casual outfit, her hair actually pulled into a ponytail as she spoke to someone on the phone.

John couldn't help but to stay silent for a moment, but he could sense, practically see the frustration in her voice, her body language alone as she spoke to someone on the phone.

"No, I haven't told John yet, you just sprung this on me!" Rose suddenly shouted, turning on her heel, only for her eyes to widen as she spotted an equally suprised John standing in the doorframe. "You know what, scratch that, I just told John. Can we talk about this later?"

John couldn't hear what was said from the other side of the phone, but he could guess that whatever it was didn't make Rose too happy, as she rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"Yes, I know. I'll talk to you later." And with that, she ended the call, throwing her phone onto the bed before attempting a smile at John. "Hi."

"Hi…" John said slowly, his curiosity almost driving him to question what exactly had happened during the phone call.

However, his face visibly fell as he remembered the reason he'd even come up here in the first place.

Rose noticed John's sullen expression, and her face twisted in confusion and concern for him as she closed the distance. "John? Is everything alright?" She asked, placing a worried hand onto his chest.

And it only served to make John feel even worse.

"I… no. No it's not." John admitted, unable to bring his eyes to meet hers as shame and guilt flooded every fibre of his being. He trudged past Rose as the succubus' eyes followed him in confusion and concern, watching as the behemoth moved to take a seat on the bed.

"John, what's wrong?" She asked, moving and taking a seat next to him, looking up at him in worry. "You're making me worry."

"I don't deserve your worry." John replied, a guilty tone in his face as he continued to avert his gaze. "I… I fucked up."

At his words, Rose's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, only more lost as to what John was even talking about. But, she opted to remain silent, instead allowing John to explain whatever he had to.

"I… well, there's no easy way to say it. Me and Charlie just kissed in the rec room."

Whatever Rose could've possibly expected John to say, it couldn't have been anywhere farther from that.

"W-What?" Rose couldn't help the hurt in her voice as she looked at John, unable to believe he'd actually said it. Even harder to believe that it was more than likely true.

John let out a sigh, continuing to look away, even as his shame began to flood him even further. "I just wanted to be there for Charlie. She told me about this ex-boyfriend of hers, who's apparently behind those nightmares…"

Rose simply gulped, continuing to stare at John with wide-eyes, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"She gave me a hug… and the next thing I know, it felt a lot like I was with you." John admitted, bringing a hand to the back of his neck.

"Are you… saying you're leaving me?"

At Rose's words, John's eyes flew wide open and his gaze snapped on her almost instantly. "No! No, no, no, no!" He said quickly, shaking his head rapidly, surprising Rose at how quickly he shot down the question. "That's not what this is."

"Then… what is it?" Rose couldn't help but to ask wearily. Was she happy that John had kissed Charlie? No, not by a mile. But… she remembered their words the day they'd gotten back together.

"If you're gonna have sex with someone else, at least don't shrug off my own feelings."

"Can you extend me the same courtesy?"

And that's exactly what John was doing.

And it wasn't even sex. Not like what Rose did.

When she'd had sex with Blitzo, she'd called afterwards to let John know she'd be home late. Instead, they broke up, and at the time, she didn't understand why he was so mad. She was furious herself and completely threw his feelings aside, as if he had no say in who she fucked.

They'd agreed to an open relationship of sorts. Neither would really be happy with it, but as long as they took into account each others feelings, they were technically free to have sex with whoever they wanted.

John hadn't had sex with anyone else, to her knowledge. It was just a kiss.

It was still hurtful, admittedly, but with knowledge of the kind of person John was and all of those thoughts in her head, she knew John was beating himself up for it a lot more than she could see, and she saw no reason to blow up on him for it.

Besides, getting into an argument and bringing up two years ago would most definitely not bode well.

Still…

John let a guilty sigh escape his lips as he spoke. "Rose, you got enough on your plate." He said with a shameful shake of his head. "All that guilt and self-hatred, then my shit got piled onto yours, and now this? What I did to you wasn't right."

SIlence followed for a moment, and John simply opted to keep his gaze downward. He expected Rose to suddenly snap on him. To scream at him, yell, call him the worst names she could think of. And despite Arya's reassurances, he felt like she would break up with him right then and there rather than simply leaving to cool down.

So he felt surprise flood through him when he felt Rose's hand slip into his own.

"I'm not gonna lie and say it doesn't hurt." Rose spoke when John turned his stunned gaze to her. "It does. But… well, I don't have much right scream at you for it." She said as she finally brought her gaze to his own stunned one, a small smile on her face. "I've done so much worse to you, and I still remember the promise we made to each other when I came home. You didn't have sex with her, and you clearly still considered my feelings, or you wouldn't be here talking to me."

This… was tame, compared to what John was admittedly expecting.

"I… I'm sorry, Rose." John said, the guilt still nawing away at him. "I can't say it enough, and I can't make it clear enough, but I am so sorry."

"I know." Rose assured as leaned forward, raising up a little so that her face was inches from his own. "And I love you." And with that, she pressed her lips to his.

With that single movement, it was like a weight was lifted off of John's shoulders, and he allowed his eyes to close as his free hand came up to wrap around Rose's waist.

Rose's own hand moved against his chest, sliding up until it was resting upon his neck, before they finally split for some air.

"I love you." John whispered, expression soft as he gazed into her pink orbs.

"Show me." Despite the meaning behind it, there was no actual lust in Rose's tone. Just love.

With those words, Rose found herself on her back, and John took action.

And she felt infinitely better, the hurt she felt washing away with John's own loving actions.


It wasn't often that Husk cared to do what a stranger asked of him.

It wasn't often that Husk said anything more than a simple 'Fuck off' before walking away.

It wasn't often that Husk found himself face to face with someone he genuinely feared.

And yet, here he was.

"Excuse me, did you not hear what I said?" Queen Lilith's tone was level, raising a thin eyebrow at Husk's continued stiffness. However, hearing her voice once more was enough to shock the cat demon out of his stupor.

"Uh, my apologies, your highness." While Husk knew to be weary around most demons, there were very few that actually scared him. Not even an overlord, including Alastor, had achieved that.

The royal family were very understandable exceptions.

"I don't want apologies, I want to my daughter." Queen Lilith replied, crossing her arms as she eyed the sinner.

Husk couldn't help it when his heartbeat accelerated from that simple action.

"I'm uh… I'm not sure where she is, but I can go find her."

"Yes, that would be in your best interest."

With that thinly veiled threat, Husk was not ashamed to admit that he wasted no time hopping off of his stool and booking it down the hallway, frantic as he searched for Charlie.

"Come on, Charlie, I really need you right now." Husk muttered to himself, eyes wide as he searched every room he could, hoping that the Princess was still on the bottom floor.

He let out a grunt when he found himself crashing into someone, and it was by sheer luck that he didn't topple them over.

"And where might you be off to in such a rush, Husker?" Alastor's normally irritating voice was much more annoying than it usually was, and Husk couldn't help it when his eyes snapped towards the Radio Demon, his typical smile on his face, a glimmer of amusement showing through.

"To make sure I don't get my ass fried, now move!" Husk wasted no time, jumping up off the ground and rushing past Alastor once more, leaving the Radio Demon genuinely puzzled as to what could have one of his oldest friend in such a tizzy.

Husk paid it no mind.

It wasn't until he made it to the rec room that Husk felt relief wash over him, and he finally allowed himself to pause, leaning against the archway to the rec room as he spotted Charlie sitting on the couch, her knees pulled into her chest.

If it weren't for the fact that he really didn't want to incur Queen Lilith's wrath, he might've been concerned.

"Thank god, Charlie!" Husk couldn't help but to say, causing the Princess' eyes to snap towards him, eyes wide as she jumped off the couch with a yelp of fright.

"Jeez, you just scared me half to death Husk!" Charlie commented, holding a hand to her chest in an effort to calm her beating heart.

Husk admittedly wasn't paying any attention to it. "You… have… a visitor…" Husk managed to get out between pants, one hand pointing down the hall he'd just come from as he attempted to catch his breath a little too quickly.

Charlie was at least able to understand what he'd said. "A visitor?" Husk noted the sense of apprehension in her voice, as well as the guarded, somewhat tense way she asked her next question. "Who?"

"Your mom." Husk said, swallowing as he finally stood up to his feet, looking Charlie in the eye as he took a deep breath. "Your mom just walked in, demanded to speak to you."

At Husk's eyes, Charlie's eyes went wide in complete disbelief. "W-What?"

"Please go talk to her so I don't get killed again in a painful and slow way." Husk begged… before promptly fainting.

Her mother.

Her mother was actually here. At the Hotel.

Her mother was here.

After so many calls that went to voicemail, after so much silence from both her parents, she'd honestly begun to believe that maybe her mother had come to her father's side. That her mother was simply disappointed in her.

The logical part of her knew that was not at all the case, but she couldn't help the thoughts that would intrude on her.

Charlie quickly made her way out of the rec room, leaving Husk's currently unconscious form in a heap on the ground as she made her way quickly through the hallway, passing Alastor with a quick 'Hi Al' before continuing on.

And when she finally arrived at the lobby, she honestly couldn't help it when she stopped in her tracks.

It was one thing hearing it…

But seeing her mother right there, sitting on couch in the lobby, looking more than impatient as she examined her nails… she honestly couldn't help the smile on her face, the excitement that bubbled within her.

"Mom!" Charlie shouted gleefully, causing Lilith's eyes to snap in her direction, a smile emerging on the Queen's face as she moved to stand to her feet.

"Charlie, dear!" Lilith said, allowing the veil of royalty and power to wipe away in place of that of happy mother.

Charlie couldn't help it when her feet moved, practically running at Lilith and throwing herself in her mother's arms, and despite being over two hundred years old, she was giggling with glee when her mother gladly pulled her into a hug and swung her around as if she were a child once more.

"It's so good to see you!" Charlie's voice was filled with joy as her feet touched the ground once more, a wide grin on her face as she looked at her mother. "I can't believe you're here!"

Lilith let a small laugh escape her as she looked at her daughter with a smile. "My dear, I haven't been hear since you've started this little project. I figured it was time to come down and see how it was going."

Charlie practically beamed at her mother's words, and despite recent events, she honestly couldn't help but to focus on all of the positives. "It's going great! We've got plenty of guests, and we still have a few coming within the next few weeks, and we've even got some employees, including a security guard!"

Lilith raised an eyebrow at her words, but nonetheless, she was glad to see her daughter was happy with her project. "That's good to hear, darling. Am I to assume that these employees are helpful?" Even though her daughter was clearly happy, she still couldn't help the weariness she felt at the news as well.

Because, y'know, Hell.

But if anything, Charlie's smile grew even wider. "Yep! You've already met Husk, our doorman, and Niffty is our hotel maid, and Alastor is helping to manage along with Vaggie! And John, our security guard, has got to be the best person for the job!"

So, Husk was the name of the sinner at the bar. Not much of a doorman, Lilith mused.

But then again, she couldn't imagine doing such menial work, and she'd imagine it'd be quite mind-numbing for anyone.

"Really?" Lilith took a seat on the couch once more, patting the spot next to her with a smile. "Tell me more." Though she'd come up here to discuss a very serious, and if true, personal topic, she was more than happy to catch up and spend time with her daughter first before moving onto more serious matters.

Charlie gladly took a seat, and despite her age, she honestly felt like a teenager all over again as she filled in her mother on the ongoings of the Hotel since her last attempted phone call. "So, did you ever get to see the interview?"

Lilith let an amused smile make it's way onto her face as she raised an eyebrow. "Indeed, I did. I thought it was quite amusing when you took her pen." She teased, causing Charlie to blush in embarrassment.

"Um, right…" Charlie muttered, inwardly cursing at the fact that she'd done something so childish on live TV, regardless of what it led to.

She was proud to have kicked Katie Killjoy's ass, thank you!

"Anyway, I thought that would've destroyed the Hotel, but then Alastor showed up-"

"The Radio Demon?" Lilith couldn't help but to question, more than a little weary at the fact that Alastor was apparently a manager at the Hotel. "I apologize for sounding rude, Charlie, but how exactly did he help?"

Charlie looked mildly annoyed at being interrupted, but she continued nonetheless. "Alastor is the reason we have Niffty and Husk, and although he's admitted that he's only doing it for amusement, he's kept to his word, and he's only been helpful."

Ah, that sounded more like the Radio Demon's reputation.

"Anyway, after an attack by some snake guy, Sir Pentious-"

Lilith made a mental note to have a word with this Sir Pentious.

"-we were about to have some dinner for the day when John showed up." As Charlie mentioned the sinner's name, she couldn't help the way her face fell slightly, recalling their encounter earlier. But her smile remained nonetheless. "And he's probably been the biggest help of all."

"Really?" Lilith couldn't help the interest in her tone at the mention of this 'John'. She assumed it to be a sinner, as not only was it a human name, but it sounded nothing like the kind of names sinners come up with themselves these days, usually coming up with wild names to start a new life in Hell. "How so?"

"Well, he's the security guard, for one." Charlie joked, before a fond smile worked its way onto her face. "But the entire time he's been here, he's been nothing but a help. At first, it was little things. I mean, he just seemed so genuinely invested in the Hotel, but then, it was the kind of things he'd do."

"What do you mean?"

"You know who the three V's are, right?" Charlie asked, to which Lilith nodded.

"Vox, Valentino, and Velvet. They owned Porn Studios before someone tore it down." Not that Lilith minded in the slightest. When she decided to have a night of partying, Ozzies is usually where she preferred to go anyway.

"Well, our first guest, Angel, was an employee of theirs… well, slave is more like it." Charlie felt disgust crawl onto her face as she spoke about the three V's. Namely Valentino. "Anyway, I went out shopping with Vaggie, John, and Alastor, and when we got back, the three V's were here, and John saved Angel from being raped by Valentino."

Val had just earned himself a personal session of… play… with Lilith. And it would. Not. Be. Pleasant.

"He dragged Valentino into some kind of shadow realm and scared Vox and Velvet off, and about three days later, he took care of Valentino."

That piqued Lilith's interest. "Took care of him? How so?"

"Apparently John can choose to kill anyone sucked into his shadow realm at will, including sinners. And I don't just mean they regenerate somewhere, I mean that he can choose to end their existence permanently or let them suffer and regenerate somewhere." Charlie explained, causing Lilith's eyes to widen.

The ability to permanently kill sinners? Wipe them from existence? That is a power reserved for only a few people in Hell, or anyone with access to Holy weaponry. Lilith only knew a select few people who had had the power to kill sinners without Holy weapons; Lucifer, herself, and whether she knew it or not, Charlie.

She had rarely ever, in her exceedingly long life, heard of anyone with the capabilities to kill sinners with power alone, and that did not include the Exterminator filth that came down once a year.

Charlie was ignorant to her mother's thoughts as she continued. "Anyway, Angel let it slip that Valentino's kink, if you can even call it something like that, is that he prefers outright raping his lovers to consent."

If it weren't for what Charlie had just explained in regards to her apparent security guard, Lilith would be making very good sure that Valentino would burn for ever coming near her daughter.

"And it pissed John off, is the best way to put it. He put Valentino down for good, and door down Porn Studios. And all of Valentino's employees, or slaves, or whatever you wanna call them, make of a majority of the guests here." Charlie explained, a fond smile on her face as she recounted John's actions.

Lilith, meanwhile, was astounded.

"This… is a sinner, right?"

"Yeah, but he's not like normal sinners." Charlie said as she looked at her mother. "I mean it when I say that he's really a good person. It's not just an act, it's not something personal for him, he genuinely wants to help."

While Lilith had absolutely no doubt that Charlie believed this to be true, she had been in Hell for much longer than Charlie had been alive, and she wasn't quite sure she believed this sinner she spoke of was as pure of heart as her daughter had been led to believe.

Only one way to find out.

"I think I'd like to meet this sinner." Lilith commented, looking down at her daughter with a smile. "You speak highly of him, and he certainly sounds like quite an unusual sinner."

At Lilith's words, Charlie visibly froze, her already cream colored face paling even more at her mother's words.

Considering what had followed those words in the past, that meant that either Lilith was intrigued by John… or didn't like him at all.

And though she doubted it was the later, especially since she hasn't even met John, Charlie couldn't help her paranoia at the possibility.

"U-um… well, he's kind of busy right now."

"Oh?" Lilith raised an eyebrow at that. "If he's the hotel's security guard, shouldn't he be on duty right now?"

"Well, yes…" Charlie could concede that point, but she couldn't help the shame that washed over her. "But he's kind of… occupied, right now."

"Might I ask with what?"

This was definitely not a topic she really wanted to speak to her mother about. As much as she loved her mother, her advice on this matter most definitely wouldn't help, especially since she was often encouraged by both parents to assert herself.

Whether that meant stand up for herself or strike fear depended not only upon the parent, but the subject being discussed.

Still… she couldn't lie to her mom.

"Well… I don't really want to talk about what led to it… but me and John kissed before you arrived."

Now that got Lilith's attention.

"I didn't know you and Vaggie had seperated." She commented, looking at her daughter in surprise.

"That's the thing." Charlie rubbed her arm as shame and guilt flooded her. "We haven't."

Now Lilith was even more confused. What did she mean by-

Oh.

Oh.

"Oh my…" Lilith honestly wasn't sure how to react to that. Charlie was probably the most pure soul in Hell, honest, kind, helpful… a good person, unlike most of Hell's population. And she most certainly knew Charlie wasn't the kind of person to cheat on any of her lovers. To be quite frank, the girl was just too kind-hearted for such a thing.

So despite how tame it was compared the kind of things most of Hell's denizens do, it was admittedly quite unexpected hearing that she had indeed kissed someone she wasn't currently dating.

"I feel so bad, Mom." Charlie admitted, pulling her legs to her chest as spoke. "I love Vaggie, I really, really do. And John honestly loves his own girlfriend. But… I think I love John too."

"Do you think he returns these feelings?" Lilith couldn't help but to ask, glancing down at her daughter.

Charlie nodded her head in response. "I started it, but… he kissed me back too. John didn't act like it was my fault, he feels bad too, said we couldn't lie to either Rose or Vaggie, but… I can't help feeling like I might've forced him into it, that the entire thing is my fault."

"Charlie…" It honestly broke Lilith's heart, hearing the hurt in her daughter's tone, and she wrapped her arms around Charlie and pulled her daughter into a comforting hug, providing the kind of comfort only a mother could.

While Charlie was an adult, over two hundred years old, she was practically a child compared to Lilith. As a matter of fact, Lilith sometimes had to remind herself that despite giving birth to Charlie, she was more than old enough to be her own daughter's ancestor.

She wanted to provide some sort of wisdom, and she had an idea how to… but admittedly, this wasn't an issue she'd ever thought she'd face with Charlie.

Charlie had fallen for two people at once; her current girlfriend Vaggie, and this John fellow she spoke of, and while Charlie had been with multiple people in the past, each and every instance, she'd been completely and wholly faithful to whichever lover she had until their relationship would end.

So Lilith was at a dilemma here. She knew the typical advice most likely wouldn't work on Charlie, but if there was one thing Lilith knew about all mothers, it was that they would do anything to see their child's pain gone.

"I'm afraid I'm not quite sure if I can provide any meaningful advice on this, Charlie." Lilith admitted, rubbing her daughter's head softly, her delicate fingers running through the blonde lockes. "While me and Lucifer might've have dabbled in an extra person, persay, we've always been faithful to each other, and I must admit that no one has ever caught my eye like your father. Something like this is not at all a dilemma I'd expect to face with you, my dear."

Something told Lilith those may not have been the best words when Charlie's body visibly flinched, accompanied by the sound of a stifled sob.

"I don't want to hurt Vaggie, Mom." Charlie whimpered, hugging her mother tighter as she spoke. "But now I don't think I can just ignore my feelings for John either, and I feel so bad for it."

"There's a difference between ignorance, and action, I do know that." Lilith said with a smile, her voice gentle and soothing as she spoke. Gone was the seductress that was just as feared as she was revered, and in her place was a gentle mother comforting her child. "You may not have to ignore these newfound feelings, even if they do not fade with time, but that does not mean you must act on them if you care this much for Vaggie."

"Mom, I didn't even mean to kiss John." Charlie admitted, pulling away from her mother a small bit so she could wipe away her tears. "I was hugging him, I was grateful because he was just trying to be a good friend, and the next thing I know, we're in a liplock and I was the one who started it!"

"Charlie, sweetheart, look at me." Lilith said softly, moving a finger to hook Charlie's chin and guiding her gaze up towards her own. "I see no issue with having multiple lovers, so long as it is entirely consensual among all parties, but if Vaggie loves you as much as I believe she does, considering both what you've told me and the few times I've met the girl in person, then while she may not be entirely happy about it, she'd be willing to look past this one blunder when she sees the guilt you feel."

Those seem to lift Charlie's spirits some, as her sobs died down to whimpers, and then to sniffles, as she looked at her mother.

"Do you really think so?"

"I do." Lilith assured with a smile. "And I assure you, that if this John fellow is anything like you say he is, then he will remain by your side, if not as a lover, then as a friend."

Charlie simply stared at her mother through her tears, sniffling a little, before smiling. "Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime, Charlie." Lilith smiled, beofre her face turned serious, letting go of Charlie as she sat up straight.

Charlie immediately knew that something else was serious.

"Now, I must admit that another matter brings me here outside of seeing how you've been." Lilith admitted, her voice level, her eyes seeming to bore right into Charlie's own.

And her next words flooded Charlie's entire system with shock.

"I want you to tell me everything Seviathan Von Eldritch has done to you, Charlie. And I want to know now."