Quick Disclaimer: So, I didn't mention anything COVID-related in the human world. I know Hazbin fics have been doing that, but considering no one seemed to be talking about it in the human world we've seen in "Helluva Boss," I decided to leave that out. Besides, it would've made Tina's interaction with her daughter very different.
That said, I do make ONE reference to current events.
Title Song: "Let Me Try Again" by Frank Sinatra (gosh, pretty much summed up my plans for this denouement)
When Tina exited Isabella's apartment complex, Alastor was leaning against a newspaper box, buried in an issue of The New York Times.
"What ya doing?"
"I got bored," Alastor said, turning a page, "so I'm catching up on current events. And might I say, this Donald Trump fellow sounds like an absolute monster!"
"The rich hotel guy?" Tina's eyebrows raised at the headline. "He's still alive?"
"Apparently, he was voted President. Doesn't seem too fond of, ahem, our kind."
Tina huffed. "Damn this country's gone downhill."
No wonder people like Isabella and Finley were fighting the power.
"When he gets to Hell," Alastor said with a toothy grin, "I think I'll greet him personally."
That was something she wouldn't hold him back from.
As he folded the paper and magicked it away, he eyed his wife. "You alright, dear?"
Tina nodded. "Y-Yeah."
He glanced up at the apartment building. "Your daughter looks well."
"Ya saw?"
"Through Chesterfield's eyes." He pointed at the shadow on the sidewalk. "She's very beautiful. Very strong, too. Reminds me of you."
She wrapped her arms around herself. "Except she did everything right."
Alastor's smile shrank. "Was I wrong to bring you here?"
"No." She shook her head. "I…I needed to see that she was okay. Thank you, Al."
She expressed gratitude, but did not meet his eye. Alastor figured she was still processing the situation.
"Shall we go back?" he suggested.
Although he feared what would happen if they did. Now that Tina had finally found her daughter, what did that mean for their marriage?
Tina looked up at the sky. The clouds were parting, allowing sunlight to warm her face.
"Do we…have to?" she asked. "So soon?"
Alastor rubbed his chin. "Stolas granted us twenty-four hours with the grimoire. We have time."
She glanced down the street. "Then…can we take a little walk?"
It had been so long since either of them had been in the living world. A walk through it sounded pleasant.
"Very well."
Alastor took her hand and led her down the sidewalk. Although his hand was gloved, the fact that they were holding hands caused her to blush.
"I'm afraid I'm not as familiar with this city as you are, dear." He grunted as people rudely pushed past him. "Do you have a particular destination in mind?"
Tina thought about it, then smiled. "I know just the place. Come on."
She stepped in front of him to lead the way through the crowded streets.
"Ya never been to New York before?" she asked.
"Once," Alastor said. "Back in 1929, I went to report on the stock market crash."
She chuckled. "Ya always said that was the most entertainin' event of your life."
"Yes."
Usually, when there was no static in Alastor's voice, it was when he was the sincerest. But since the static had been turned off for his human disguise, deciphering his emotions was more difficult. However, his curt, quiet response to the stock market crash, without going into a tirade on how glorious it was watching the suffering of others as the economy crumbled around them, was enough to tell Tina that he wasn't in a cheerful mood.
She knew why, of course. This just wasn't a conversation to be had in the busy streets of New York. That was why she was taking him to a quieter place to discuss their troubles.
The next several minutes of their walk were spent in silence. That is, their own silence in addition to the beeps and shouts and thunderous footsteps of the crowds. They took in their surroundings. Tina found that nothing much had changed about New York since 1997, except everyone seemed glued to their cell phones. Alastor was alarmed by the number of automobiles in the street, as they'd been considered a luxury item in his time that only the richest could afford.
Even stranger to him was the different kind of people who walked close together. A hundred years ago, whites would keep to one side of the sidewalk while those of color kept to the other. Now they moved in a cluster. Some even walked hand-in-hand. Just as he and Tina did.
"So, what would you like to see while we're here?" Alastor glanced up at the skyscrapers. "The Statue of Liberty? Broadway? You know, they were building the Empire State Building just before I died. Never got the chance to see it myself."
"Thought we'd take a stroll through Central Park," Tina replied.
"Oh, what a delightful idea! It'll be like our old walks through Pentagram City Park!"
"Only this time, we won't have to worry 'bout the plants eatin' us."
"Aw, but I always loved it when a flytrap would snap at you and you'd jump into my arms for protection!"
She blushed. "Quit tryin' to be cute."
He batted his eyes. "So you still think I'm cute?"
Tina nudged his side, contrary to her smile.
When they reached Central Park, they both marveled at how green it was. And the pond was so clear. Well, as clear as it could be in New York, anyway. At least it wasn't as ridden with toxic waste as the water in Hell.
"Hotdogs!" a vendor called. "Get your hotdogs here!"
Gasping, Tina released Alastor's hand and ran ahead. Though gloved, his hand suddenly felt cold. By the time he reached the hotdog cart, Tina had just finished ordering.
"Ain't had a New York dog in forever," she said.
Alastor chuckled. "I make a deal with a demon prince to get you to New York, and you want to eat an undercooked sausage inside a plastic roll?"
"First of all, it ain't undercooked." She side-eyed the vendor. "It better not be."
The vendor narrowed his eyes. "What are ya, the health department?"
"Just give him the works too." She jerked her thumb towards Alastor. "Heavy on the mustard."
Her husband cringed. "Oh, no. You're not making me eat that…what in the world is he even putting on there?"
"Sauerkraut, onions and spicy brown mustard."
Alastor straightened up, and she laughed.
"Knew that would get your attention." She took the two dogs from the vendor and handed one to Alastor. "Spicy and sour, two of your favorite flavors."
She took his hand again and led him to a bench for them to sit down. While Tina immediately bit into her dog, Alastor stared at his. Hotdogs had existed in his time, but he'd always thought them a poor substitute for real sausages. Most demons he'd seen would slather them in ketchup and mustard, or chili and cheese. This spicy-sour combination intrigued him, however.
He watched as Tina's eyes rolled back into her head as she relished the taste of her meal. "How is it I'm always trying your favorite foods, but you never try mine?"
"What ya talkin' 'bout?" she said through her chewing, then swallowed. "I've eaten enough of your jambalaya and gumbo to gimme heartburn."
"You know what I mean."
"Course I do." She grinned. "And it's cuz half the time ya end up likin' my favorite foods, and yours are downright immoral."
He shrugged. "That's debatable."
She frowned. "It really ain't."
He pointed to the hotdog. "These things are made out of intestines, you know."
"The intestines of a pig." She stuck her half-eaten dog in his face. "Not a person."
"Some, like that Rosemary of yours, might consider this pig a person."
"Yeah, well, we don't know this pig."
Alastor smirked. "These days I don't know most of my food either."
Tina raised an eyebrow. "Ethan?"
He booped her nose. "You would've liked the taste."
She swatted his hand away. "Oh, shut up and eat your wiener."
Trying not to dwell on the insinuation of that last word, Alastor opened his mouth. Not used to seeing him without fangs, Tina watched as he bit into the hotdog. He chewed slowly, then swallowed.
"Well?" she asked.
He narrowed his eyes, then chomped on the dog. "I hate it when you're right."
She smirked. "Face it. Been eatin' Hell meat too long, ya missed the real thing."
"Indeed." He glanced at the humans passing by. "Think I should take a meal to go?"
"Hey." She elbowed him. "No killin' humans, remember?"
In reality, he wasn't watching the humans because he was hungry. It was the fact that neither of them seemed to bat an eye at Alastor or Tina. He was so used to people running from him, gawking at him, sneering at him. An Overlord revered and feared. Even in life, all eyes would be on him. The people certainly would've scoffed at him and Tina sitting together, whether they knew of his parentage or not.
But on this Earth, no one cared. In their disguises, Alastor and Tina were simply two people on a bench, enjoying each other's company as well as a meal. Nothing more than a man and a woman in love.
That was all they had ever been.
"Ya gonna eat that?" Tina pointed.
Alastor glanced down at his half-finished hotdog. For once, he didn't have an appetite. So, he handed the rest to Tina. She thanked him and devoured it within seconds. He watched as she licked mustard off the corner of her mouth, and found himself enraptured by her human lips.
What would it be like to kiss her in this form? Without the fur and fangs? He wanted to ask, but wasn't so sure if he had the right to. They had yet to finish the conversation regarding their marriage.
Tina noticed him staring, and the shrinking of his smile. "You okay?"
He shook his head. "Just wondering."
She scooted closer. "About what?"
Her fingers were spread out on the bench, just a brush away from his.
Alastor gulped. "What will happen when we get back to Hell?"
Her hand slid away. "Ya mean whether I'll still be with ya when we get back?"
He nodded. "I won't deny. I hoped bringing you here would make you more decisive on the matter of us." He tilted his head. "Has it?"
She shifted in her seat, then gazed out at the park. "It's definitely put things into perspective. All this time, I thought I'd been damned cuz I'd caused my daughter's death. Not that abandonin' her wasn't bad enough. But she lived."
Hoisting her feet onto the bench, she hugged her knees. "She's like me, in ways. Except she didn't let the worst thing that had happened to her define her. She rose above it. Found a family. Found love. And she finally learned the truth, she didn't curse my name."
Tina looked up at the clouds. "She's on her way to Heaven."
Alastor followed her gaze. "We cannot know that for certain."
"I'm not afraid for her. I'm relieved. I regretted what I did for so long, knowin' how she turned out, I don't feel it anymore." She scoffed. "Don't get me wrong. It was still terrible. But I think this was what I needed to move on."
"Move on to…where?"
She turned to him. "Wherever you're going, I hope."
He sighed and glanced away. "Please don't joke right now, darling."
"No joke." She dropped her feet to the ground. "I'm gonna take my daughter's example, and not let my past stop me from being happy. From being with you."
She rested her hand over his. He faced her again, his eyes flitting between their hands and her.
"I've been a terrible wife to ya." She hung her head. "And I hate that it took gettin' kidnapped, assaulted, electrocuted, and watchin' ya almost die for me to see how much I take ya for granted. Ya took a bullet for me, nursed me back to health, reunited me with my daughter. Throughout our whole marriage, ya did everything to make me stronger and more independent. And what have I ever done to return the favor? Cheated on ya, ignored ya, bullied ya…"
Tears rolled down her cheeks. Alastor raised his free hand to wipe them.
"You wish to know what you've done for me?" He lifted her chin. "I married you for want of entertainment, but I ended up with so much more. You gave me purpose. A reason to continue my hellish afterlife. It may not show, but knowing you…changed me."
He chuckled. "Not completely, mind you. But as you said, while I made you stronger, you made me vulnerable."
He released her for a moment, and she gasped as he removed his gloves, revealing tanned human hands. The fingers were just as long as his demon fingers. Except they included an actual pinky. Then he took her hand again. The textures of both their skins were unfamiliar, but the sparks that passed from their hands to their hearts were not.
"Vulnerable, in a way I am not ashamed," Alastor whispered, lacing his fingers through hers. "You're the only being I've ever allowed to touch me like this. Not just physically."
Tina blushed as she curled her fingers around his hand. "I know."
"But," he said with a sigh, "there is something you must understand. While I do want a family with you, I never made that part up, the process of making that happen is something I do not desire as much as you. Most likely never will."
He closed his other hand around hers, bringing it to his chest. "I know how frustrated it must be for you to wait. Believe me, I know."
He'd waited ten years for her to come back. And while he would do anything to get her to stay, he had to follow Husker's advice, and be true to himself.
"But if you really loved me," Alastor said slowly, "you would take me as I am, and respect my desires."
"So, you're sayin' it might happen someday," Tina said, laying her free hand on his knee, "or never?"
"I'd like to try. Only when we're both willing."
She bit her lip. "If I said no, what would ya do?"
His grip on her hand tightened. "My feelings for you will never change, but…as I ask you to respect my wishes, I will also respect yours."
Her hand pushed an inch further up his knee. "And…if I said yes…what makes ya so sure it won't be like last time?"
"I'm not." Alastor released her hand. "The problem is, chère, even before we fell in love, I feared that one day I would wake up, and you'd be gone. Now that I know what it's like to be without you, that fear is even greater." He glanced down at the hand on his thigh. "You can tell me you love me all you want, but I'm not certain the fear will ever go away."
Tina retracted her hand. "I'm not so sure my guilt will ever go away."
"I must share some of the blame too, my dear. I should've been open with you from the start, instead of letting you cling to the hope that one day I might change my mind, as I had when I fell in love with you."
"That doesn't excuse me cheatin' on ya."
"No, but I understand why you pushed me away, and tried so hard not to give into my wooing. I led you to expect that our marriage would become like everyone else's, and I didn't meet those expectations."
"But I pushed so hard, I made ya feel like ya couldn't open up to me. Ya hid your fear and anger for my sake, and that ain't healthy." She paused. "Maybe we should go back to group therapy. Or at least try the Princess's couple's counselin' again."
He perked up. "So, you would still classify us as a couple?"
She gave a small smile. "Our marriage is a mess. And you were right when ya said I can survive without ya. But this ain't a matter of survival anymore. It's a matter of if ya can truly handle being married to me again." She clenched her hands into fists. "If ya still want me, that is."
"Oh, darling." He gestured to their surroundings. "You think I would've done all this if I didn't think I could handle it? I would go to Hell and back for you. Literally."
Doubt clouded his mind again as he rested his hands in his lap. "However, if you'd rather we go our separate ways—"
"Just kiss me already, idiot."
He blinked. "What?"
"I know ya've been thinkin' 'bout it since we put on these disguises." She blushed. "So, if we're both thinkin' 'bout it, we might as well do it."
Alastor's cheeks matched hers.
"Al, if ya don't wanna…"
"I do."
His hand slid on the bench towards her. She laced her fingers with his.
"Okay." Her eyes locked with his, the only feature their human forms had retained. "But if we're gonna try this again, we can't keep our feelings to ourselves anymore. Not just the positive ones. I know you'll do what ya can to make me happy, but not if it doesn't make you happy. Okay?"
"Very well." He raised a palm. "From now on, I will always share my thoughts, fears, concerns, and desires with you."
"It's a deal, then?"
Tina held out her free hand. There was no purple glow, but that was likely because they were in the human realm. Alastor stared at the extended hand, then at the one he held. With a heavy sigh, he reached for the other one, then covered it.
"No, darling." He lowered her hand so that all four of theirs were on the bench. "No more deals. This is a promise."
After all, this was their marriage. Not a business venture.
Tina smiled. "Can we still seal it with a kiss?"
He chuckled. "Well, as long as we both want it…"
Closing their eyes, they leaned in.
Without the fur, Tina's lips were smooth. She did not open her mouth for his tongue, so Alastor lingered there, taking in this familiar yet foreign touch. While the reward of his beloved's kiss warmed his heart, for some reason, the usual tingle up his spine didn't happen.
It was only a few seconds before they pulled away. Alastor opened his eyes, glancing off to the side with a half-smile, half grimace.
"That was, um…"
"Weird," Tina said.
He sighed in relief. "Thank Satan you thought so too."
"I don't know what it is." She scratched her head. "Maybe we're just too used to each other's demon forms?"
He shrugged. "Human or demon, darling, I still think you're gorgeous."
She brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "But kissin' like this feels weird."
"Yes." He ran a thumb along the back of her hand. "I always liked the softness of your fur. I never minded the taste of it."
Blushing, Tina hopped off the bench. "Can we go home now?"
The corners of Alastor's mouth rose at the mention of "home." Their home. The place he'd tried so hard to bring her back to. The place she was finally desiring.
As much as he wanted the two of them to return home and cuddle by a cozy fire, he hesitated. The greenery and cloudy sky recaptured his attention.
"Al?" Tina said.
"You said I shouldn't hold my feelings back, chère." He stood. "So, if it's all the same to you, I'm not quite ready to leave Earth yet."
She raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
He shrugged. "It's been almost a century since I was last in New York. There are some things I never got to do. Of course, if you would rather return to Hell, I can manage up here on my own."
Tina smirked. "You're not plannin' on assassinatin' Donald Trump or something, are ya?"
"Oh, no, no, no, no!" Alastor rubbed his chin. "Though now that you mention it…"
"That settles it." She took his hand. "Someone's gotta keep ya outta trouble."
"Trouble? Me? Never!" He squeezed her hand. "But if you are so insistent, I suppose I'll allow your company."
She rolled her eyes. "So, old-timer, what exactly did ya have in mind?"
When Alastor and Tina finally returned to their manor in Hell, back in their demon forms, they were decked in new clothing and dancing round the living room.
"Way down Hadestown," they sang. "Way down under the ground!"
Alastor laughed as he twirled her. "Your voice sounds much better, sweetheart!"
Tina let go of his hand and landed on the couch. "Amazing what the thrills of seeing a Broadway musical can do!"
They'd spent the whole day sightseeing, including a climb up the Statue of Liberty, dinner atop the Empire State Building, and then finishing the evening with a Broadway show. They had debated on which one would suit both their tastes, eventually deciding on Hadestown. Alastor was familiar with the story of Orpheus, and Tina was intrigued by the diverse casting. Besides, what better show for two masquerading demons than one about a trip to the Underworld?
"I can't believe you forced me to wear this all day." Alastor took off his Statue of Liberty headband and grimaced at his "I (Heart) NY" t-shirt.
"Aw, but the touristy look's adorable on ya!" Tina gestured to her New York baseball cap and Hadestown t-shirt. "Don't ya think it's adorable on me?"
Narrowing his eyes, he snapped back to his usual attire. "Don't tell the others about this."
"Okay." She held up her phone, showing a picture of the two of them in their human tourist disguises. "I'll just show 'em this."
His entire face reddened as he lunged for the phone. "Delete those!"
Tina flapped her wings and soared out of his reach. "What, ya don't want memories of our first real date in years?"
He dropped his arm. "That…was our first real date in years, wasn't it?"
They'd had a few romantic trysts at the hotel, and they'd gone to the Valentine's Day dance together. However, they'd been working, and fighting. Not only had they spent the whole day without talking about work or shouting at each other, they'd gone out and done normal things any normal couple would do, not worrying about prying eyes.
And it had quickly become Alastor's favorite date of all.
"Fine." He crossed his arms. "Just…don't show those to anyone."
"Of course not." Tina tucked her phone into her back pocket. "I was kidding, Al. I just wanted to remember this day."
His smile softened. "It was a lovely day."
She snaked her arms around his neck. "Not as lovely as you."
She gave his lips a peck. Then Alastor caught her waist and pulled her in for another.
"Much better," he murmured, kissing her a third time. "As interesting as it was seeing you as a human, I think I prefer the little bat who ensnared me with her siren song."
Tina giggled. "And while you were quite the knockout," she said, ruffling his ears, "you're even cuter as a deer." Her other hand wandered down his back. "And let's face it, if we were still human, I wouldn't be able to do this."
Alastor shrieked as his tail was pulled. Tina laughed.
"Oh, you're asking for it now, missy!"
He ran a finger up the bone of her wing. She shivered.
"H-Hey! No fair!"
"Fair?" He pushed her back on the couch, trapping her. "You started it, precious."
"Oh?" She raised a cocky eyebrow. "So, who's gonna finish it? Me or you?"
Alastor's bravado vanished as he climbed off her and sat down. "D-Depends what you mean by…finish."
Tina frowned and righted herself up. "Sorry. I didn't mean—"
"It's alright, chère." He pulled at his collar in a futile attempt to relieve the heat coursing through him. "It's been…quite a day. I don't blame you for getting, err, caught up in the moment."
She saw how much he was sweating. That same panic that came every time they were close to full physical intimacy. She shared the panic that this time wouldn't be different.
But it would be. She would make it different. But she had to be sure he would make the same effort.
"Al," Tina whispered, scooting closer to him. "If I asked ya to make love to me, right now, would ya?"
Alastor stiffened at her question. Was this a trick? Surely she knew the answer.
Then he met her eyes, and found that they weren't begging. More like searching. For the truth.
His doubts were not gone, but this look of hers lessened them. Even if only a little.
This time would be different.
Taking a deep breath, he replied, "I enjoyed our trip today, and I am elated to have you here. But…" He looked down at his shoes. "I also promised not to hide my feelings from you. And my feelings are…I don't believe I can go through with it tonight." He returned his gaze to her. "Are you upset?"
Tina closed her eyes and sighed, her lips curling into a smile. "No."
His ears twitched. "No?"
"No." She leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder. "Actually, with all that happened with us, Ethan, my daughter, sex is the last thing on my mind right now."
"Oh, Satan!" Alastor slapped his forehead. "Don't scare me like that!"
"Call it revenge for all the times ya've spooked me, ya creepy cannibal." She slid a hand onto his thigh. "So, ya think Lucier can wait a few months or so for that baby?"
"Hmm. I'm sure he'll understand." He draped an arm around her. "After all, conception is not guaranteed to happen on the first try, even with Satanic magic." He removed her baseball cap, kissing the top of her head. "That said, if neither of us are in the mood, shall we retire for the evening?"
"Don't ya have to get that book back to Prince Stolas?"
"It's late. I'll return it in the morning." His fingers played with her hair. "But it's been a long day and you've only just recovered. You should be resting."
She shrugged. "I ain't tired."
"Neither am I, as it happens." He snuggled her closer. "Shall we kiss some more?"
Tina rose from the couch. "I got a better idea."
The radio in the living room corner crackled to life, playing a jazzy string instrumental. Alastor tilted his head.
"That's strange. I didn't—"
Then came Tina's voice from the radio: "I know I said that I was leaving."
He turned to his wife, who had her hand extended with a grin. "May I have this dance?"
"But I just couldn't say goodbye."
His eyes flitted between the radio and her. Then, realizing, he chuckled, accepted her hand, and allowed her to pull him up.
"It was only self-deceiving
To walk away from someone who
Means everything in life to you."
She held his right hand in her left, and rested her right hand on his waist. She hovered above the floor to make up the height difference. He surrendered himself as she turned them into a slow box trot.
No other woman would ever have the honor of leading him.
"You learn from every lonely day.
e learned and I've come back to stay."
"Since when could you control the radios?" he asked as she guided him under her arm.
"I could do it with that ring ya charmed, remember?" When she caught his waist again, she pressed him close. "But since the accident, it's been happening without warning. I practiced when ya weren't in the room."
"Of course!" Alastor threw his head back. All those times the radio had turned on suddenly with songs unknown to him, he'd assumed it had been his emotions getting the better of him. "I gave you my blood to enhance your abilities. Must've done more than I intended."
He rested his forehead against hers. "You are truly my equal now."
They stayed like that a moment as Tina's voice continued on the radio:
"Let me try again.
Let me try again.
Think of all we had before.
Let me try once more."
Alastor adjusted his head for another kiss, which she welcomed.
"We can have it all.
You and I again.
Please forgive me
Or I'll die.
Let me try again."
As the music shifted to something more modern, though still slow and soulful, Tina whispered, "This ain't gonna be easy, ya know?"
"I'm aware," Alastor replied.
"Like the song says, I'm gonna try. Really, this time."
"As will I."
"But it might take a while to get this right."
"The nice thing about being dead," he said with a chuckle, "is that we have all eternity to get this right."
Their lips brushed together, but she pulled away before they could lose their senses again. "As for that baby deal ya got with Lucifer, ya shouldn't've made that without me."
He shook his head. "What's done is done. But I made utmost certain our child would have a say in their position with Lucifer, and that he won't own their soul. It was the best I could do."
She sighed. "Guess we shouldn't worry 'bout it until we actually make that child." Relaxing her wings, she settled her head on his shoulder. "So, later."
"Right." He nuzzled his nose in her hair. "Until then, is there anything else you desire, now that we're giving this another try?"
"I still wanna work at the hotel. Ya don't have to go back with me. I know ya don't agree with the Princess's goals."
"I don't know." He squeezed her tighter. "I think we've found some redemption of sorts. Besides, I enjoy working alongside you."
He inhaled her sweet scent, remembering how it had stuck to his pillow earlier that morning. "While we're on the subject of desires, my love, can we continue sharing a bed?"
"Maybe." She ran a hand up and down his back. "So long as ya don't gimme a reason to kick ya out."
He laughed. "Fair enough. Anything else?"
Tina pulled away, biting her lip. "Well…"
"Come on, chère." Alastor lifted her chin with his finger. "We agreed to be open with each other."
She stopped dancing, let him go, and lowered to the ground. "You'll think it's silly."
He placed his hands behind his back. "Try me."
Taking a moment to form the words, Tina twiddled her fingers. "I want us to renew our vows."
The radio went silent as he stared at her.
"I know we never technically divorced." She focused on her feet, blushing. "It's just that…when we got married, it didn't mean much. We weren't in love, but that's all different now. So, I want us to have a real ceremony. Nothing too fancy. We could do it at the hotel with all our friends. And when we say our vows this time, we'll mean it. Ya know?"
Alastor burst out laughing, smacking his forehead with a shake. Tina winced.
"That stupid, huh?"
"No, darling, not at all! I'm laughing, because…" He took her hands. "I've been wanting to ask you that since the moment you walked into the hotel."
The music started up again as she grinned at him. "Really?"
That was a ridiculous question, of course. From the way he'd snatched her up and kissed her all those months ago, his intentions had been obvious.
"Really! Oh, that reminds me!"
With a snap of his fingers, a small, purple, velvet box appeared in his hand. Tina gasped, covering her mouth as he dropped to one knee.
"I, err," Alastor said, rubbing the back of his neck, "made this a couple weeks ago. Considering the old one was shattered beyond repair, I thought, you know, if you decided to stay, you'd want a replacement." He shrugged with a chuckle. "Third time's the charm, I suppose."
When he opened the box, Tina expected it to hold another ruby ring. Instead, she saw a glittering, star-cut amethyst. The band was silver, musical notes carved into it.
While the first ring had matched the Radio Demon's aesthetic, this one had been made solely for the Songbat.
"My Tina," Alastor said, holding the box out to her, "I am not perfect, and have made many mistakes, but I promise, this time, I will give it my all, and do everything in my power to make you happy."
Tina raised an eyebrow. He sighed.
"And communicate with you before making any rash decisions like selling our firstborn to the Devil. Oh, dear." His ears drooped as he lowered the box. "This proposal is even less romantic than the first one. Let me start over."
"No." Kneeling to his level, she closed her hands over the ones that held the ring box. "Alastor, will ya stay married to me?"
His grin looked as if it would tear through his cheeks. Then he grabbed her face with one hand and kissed her.
"I thought you'd never ask!"
He removed the ring from the box and slid it onto her left ring finger. The amethyst was smaller than the ruby had been, though still noticeable. The first ring had been heavy, but with this one, it was much easier to move her fingers.
Alastor had certainly put more thought into this ring than the first. Just as their love had grown, so had his consideration for her.
Without standing up, the two of them embraced.
"We're really doing this," Tina said.
"Yes." Alastor nuzzled his face into her neck. "You and me for all eternity, darling."
"So good to have everything out in the open now, ain't it? No more secrets between us."
The radio screeched to a stop as Alastor stiffened. "Well…"
She drew back with a skeptical look. "What?"
The corners of his mouth quivered. "It's not in any way related to our marriage, so don't fret about it."
"Al…" She crossed her arms.
"Alright!" He threw up his arms. "So, at the Valentine's Day party, you know I managed to convince Rosie to fund the hotel, right?"
Tina narrowed her gaze. "Ya offered her something shady, didn't ya?"
"I, err," he said, tapping his fingers together, "may have told her that in return for her generous donation, any…troublemakers would be sent to her? After you evicted them? Those not worthy of redemption and wouldn't be missed?"
The room darkened. Low, tantalizing music played, emphasized by floating purple musical notes. The Songbat's eyes went black as she hovered above the floor.
"You did WHAT?!"
Alastor took that as his cue to bolt out of the living room and down the hall, his terrifying beloved hot on his tail.
"DAMN IT, ALASTOR! WHEN I GET MY CLAWS ON YA I'M GONNA FUCKING RIP YOU APART!"
"Alright!" he shouted. "This time I know what I did wrong!"
We only got...geez, two or three more chapters to go. Wow. I've been working on this fic longer than I'd realized.