The urge to wrap his shadows around her, lift her up and carry her back to the Hotel has his claws twitching. The stronger urge to prove to himself and to his dove that he can get through these bloodcrazed thoughts have him doing nothing. Nothing as he stands in front of the neon bright ugly tall Vox building. Nothing as his precious lady stands next to him, ready to go in. Alone. While he is going to be forced to stay outside and wait. Torment. Pure torture.

Alastor looks at her from the corner of his eyes, hating, hating, how gorgeous she looks in her lovely vintage black dress and light makeup. She has put on makeup. Just before they left. Eyeliner. Mascara. A light red painted hue on her lips. Maddening. Why. When he had asked her that she simply pulled out the faith card again. Fuck faith. He is not letting her in. He is not-

Her soft hand slips into his. Her sweet lips pulled up in a gentle smile. Eyes loving and grateful. He deflates. "I will be gone for thirty minutes. If it takes longer, you can come get me."

"Not a second longer."

"I will count." She kisses his cheek softly and she feels him releasing a deep breath. His hand twitches again, using his willpower to not grab her. "Keep a bit out of sight?" She suggests as she sees many many sinners around them eyeing the great Radio Demon in front of his rival's building. Expecting a rumble.

"I am staying right here." He seethes out through his teeth.

Well, it is probably the best option she is going to get him to yield to. Cattaleya looks to the door and takes a deep breath as well before tilting her chin a bit up, radiating confidence as she walks through the glass doors. Alastor takes out his pocket watch the moment she walks in, eyeing every second that passes.

It feels strange, going for a target while parading through the front door. But she should show Vox that she is here without hostile intention. If he listens. She is not above… persuasion if he doesn't. Cattaleya ignores all the gasps and points and pictures people present make of her. Instead she walks over to the front desk, a tiny man with fish-like features squinting and organizing papers. His nose is almost against the papers as he tries to read them. When he notices her presence he squints his eyes even more. Confirmed, very poor eyesight.

But those poor eyes do widen when he sees her. "M-Miss Carmine! What c-can I help you with?"

Cattaleya raises one eyebrow. Carmine? Carmilla Carmine, Overlord, weapon dealer. She has seen pictures of the woman before and… She glances down for a second, color pallet matching the woman's. The idiot so blind that he just assumes she is the dangerous Overlord. Huh. Taking the risk of the man not having met the woman before or being too shaken to not recognize her voice, she deepens it slightly when she says. "I need to see Vox, NOW."

The man almost looks like pissing his pants as he nods. "Certainly. I will clear his next appointment and inform him of your arrival." He quickly gave directions towards the meeting room before picking up the phone to call his boss.

Huh. This is going rather smoothly to say the least. The elevator stops at her destined floor and she steps out. The guard at the door looks a bit confused at her but she simply shoots him a smile as if she is meant to be there and waits for him to let her in. After a final scrutinizing glance he opens the door for her and lets her in.

The meeting room is surrounded by glass and water, fish swimming around as if she is in an underwater world. She only gasps soundlessly for a fleeting moment before refocusing. The long table in the middle is completely empty. There is only Vox, who stands at the end, his back to her and arms behind him. He doesn't move as he hears her heels walking closer. "Well Carmilla, what do I owe the absolute pleasure for your visit? Are you ready to discu-"

Vox's screen glitches for a second and he chokes on his words as he looks to the side to see Cattaleya standing right next to him. "WHAT THE-" He actually does a small jump backwards but instead of attacking, Cattaleya takes a seat.

"I came to talk, nothing more." She says calmly as she looks up at him, waiting for his move. If he dares try something, she will have his wires pulled out in a split second.

Vox looks utterly disarmed, unsure what to even do or expect, though he slowly sits down as well. Looking skeptical at her and ready to flee the scene if necessary. "How the fuck did you get in?"

Cattaleya can't help the slight smug grin from creeping up. "Your front desk employee is nearly blind and the guard didn't follow through on his suspicions. Your employees lack capability. I simply walked in."

Vox grumbles in pure annoyance and makes a mental note to give his employees one hell of a yelling later. He rubs his forehead as if soothing a forming headache. "Fine fine, what do you want?"

"I want you to reconsider your declining of the invitation that Charlie has sent to you to be present at her Redemption Gala."

Vox's doesn't even try to hold in his booming laughter as he stands up. "You're fucking kidding me, right?! You came all this way here to what, pretty please me to come join that idiotic thing you are doing over there?! What a waste of time!"

"Indeed a waste to think I could come here and actually talk to someone intelligent about the matter." Cattaleya shoots in return which has his laughter scratch to a stop.

He slams his hand on the table and looms over her. She doesn't look impressed in the slightest. "Try me. Why would I go to your pretty petty party?"

"Because it is beneficial for you as well, not only for us. Perhaps you think the idea of redeeming souls is ludicrous like most demons do. But, this might be the only way to stop the extermination from happening."

"Ha! I am an Overlord. The extermination doesn't scare me! I live in a fortress!"

"You live in a glass building with a mindset of safety that is in truth not there. Do I have to remind you that I just walked in here?"

He huffs and folds his arms, still pissy about that. "That is different."

Cattaleya now stands as well. "A fortress is built with arms, stone, bloodlust to fight and die to protect. Here? I see a place to hide. To sit and see. A place like this will fall one day. One day the fight will be here and you will be confronted with what you have been lacking to strengthen thanks to your false sense of security. Just a fair warning." She says as she walks to the glass, looking into the waters. Not to give a sense of mystery, just curious as she thinks she saw a pink fish.

"Pfft! And going to a dance in your run down hotel will fix that?" He asks mockingly.

"No. Not entirely. But it is a start. We need more people like you standing behind the idea and supporting our cause to show to Heaven that sinners are willing to change."

"Do you honestly believe that will work? That sinners will change?"

"No" Vox's eyes widen at her answer, completely flabbergasting him as she openly admits not believing a thing about it either.

"Then why dafuq are you here?!"

"Because Heaven attacks to control us, apparently. To make sure we will not retaliate. To get rid of overpopulation. Or so Charlie says. It sounds like a story I know. Long ago. About a land where its owner was cruel and vicious, cutting down any wayward voice against him with his blade. No one dared to disobey. Obedience the strict rule he enforced. And his people listened. Stood in line. Did their work. Or so he thought. They played meek and weak while they trained and schemed in the dead of night and then struck him down when he let his guard down. A sense of safety, the knick in his armor." She turns to Vox, an ember burning behind her eyes. "It doesn't matter whether you or any sinner believe in redemption. We just need to portray the image of it being so for Heaven to reconsider their actions. If we can show us being obedient, then they will stop going through any troubles to whip the wolves, so to speak in symbolism. Overlords are the most powerful beings in Hell, so if Overlords pull their strings tight, change the rules, control the population, there is no reason for Heaven to do so." She walks closer to Vox, slowly. "You are one of the most influential Overlords here. You say jump and half of Hell does. If you fake being behind our cause, people will listen. People will 'want' to redeem themselves. If you say you believe this might stop the extermination, they will believe it as well."

Vox is completely enthralled by her words, by what he sees. Her wings are not the only thing proven to be quite sharp. But even if she has captured his attention, he is not going to budge. Not going to show. No one is going to make him risk his neck like that. "Well-" He leans down, their noses almost touching as he grins widely. "- good luck with that on your own." He stands back up straight. "I am very curious to see how you will get through the next extermination!"

Cattaleya is quiet for a moment, watching Vox waiting for her reaction with an anticipating grin. She sighs. "Very well. You have claws, right?"

Vox looks utterly confused at his hand. "Uhm, yes but-"

"Good." She uses her own claw to suddenly scratch through her upper arm, straight through her dress and drawing blood.

Vox's eyes widen again. "The fuck are you doing?"

She licks her fingers and starts smearing out her eyeliner and lipstick. After that she loosens her hair and starts running her hands through it like a maniac, making it a complete mess. "Alastor is waiting for me downstairs to return. It was extremely hard to convince him to let me come here to talk." She pulls at the buttons on the front of her dress, tearing them off and leaving a bit of her chest open. "So how do you think he would react if he sees me coming down completely shaken up and looking like this?" She takes off her heels before tearing another rip in the skirt of her dress, all the way up her hip.

Vox finally has the decent brain cells to look scared. "You wouldn't."

"I don't even need it to be logical as I could easily kill you before you could get me in such a state. I only need to walk down and-" Her breath suddenly hitches and her face scrunches into pure hurt. She hugs herself as her legs begin to tremble. Eyes watering. Voice shaking. "I-I-I got caught off guard, V-Vox he-" She then straightens again, completely fine as she grins at him "See where that might go?" She puts a hand on her hip. "Are you ready to listen to what I am asking from you?" She walks forward, leaning a bit up as he leans back to keep the space between them. "If you agree to come to the Gala with the other Vees, listen to Charlie and do your part in this plan, I will promise that I will stop Alastor from tearing this whole building down in a few minutes. Sounds like a good agreement, doesn't it?"

Vox grits his teeth, outfoxed by this… Dafuq is she. "I agree to go to that stupid fucking dance. But that is all. What happens after that we'll see. I am not your puppet."

"No, of course not." She smiles widely which actually makes him visibly gulp. "You are a business partner." She takes a step back with a satisfied feeling. "Thank you." She walks back to the glass to look at the fishes again.

Vox blinks twice. "That is it?"

"That's all."

"... And now you are what, just staring at my aquarium?"

"I still have 12 minutes and 27 seconds before Alastor comes up to crack your neck and eat your limbs. Did you fix your penthouse yet? It was actually quite lovely."

Vox doesn't really know how to compose himself as this murderous beast suddenly looks like… A cinnamon roll looking at fish while making conversation. "Yes, fixed it. Lots of blood to clean."

"That was the consequence of your own actions." She says lightly without menace as she walks along the glass to follow one interesting swimmer. "I actually enjoy the movies you broadcast quite a lot, even if some are rather unrealistic."

"Unrealistic?"

She scrunches up her nose. "The amount of blood some of the actors bleed when being cut in certain places. You don't go spurting out blood when being cut in the arm. It drips and floods down if it hits the right artery. Oh, and the fact that dialogue is so long and intricate amidst a fighting scene. If you are out to kill you don't talk. I can't imagine pausing for a single moment to say something instead of go for the kill right away. For me it really makes me sigh in annoyance but I suppose I am one of the few who actually have too much knowledge to enjoy such movies without being biased by their own experiences."

"Ha ha! Well, they do pretty good because of the huge amount of blood and gore."

"What a surprise, sinners in Hell enjoying bloody gory movies." She jests kindly as she flashes him a smile, missing the way his own features finally begin to relax as well.

"What kind of movies do you enjoy then?" Vox asks as he takes a seat.

Cattaleya pouts a bit in a thinking way. "I do really enjoy some of the classics you have re-imagined. The actors and actresses in those are quite skilled. More skilled than some lower budget ones I believe. And movies with good music compositions in the background capture my attention."

Vox leans his chin on his fist as a grin creeps up, looking over her disheveled appearance. "If you are interested I would surely have a place in one of them for you. You have proven to me quite clearly that you can run a dialogue and call on tears whenever you want."

Cattaleya laughs amused and lightly as she shakes her head. "Thank you for the offer but I will decline. I have no ambitions of becoming an actress." Also considering how Alastor might have an actual brain bleed if she tells him she is going to be an actress in one of Vox's movies.

"Such a shame! Well, if you change your mind, the offer stands."

Again she smiles but then the doors slam against the wall. In a flash, Cattaleya is crouched on the table, wings sharp and ready to attack when- "Oh My Hells, socials were really not fucking me when they said an angel is seen walking into this shit hole!" A woman with a huge grin, pink and blue huge pigtails and a sway in her hips walks to her. Her eyes big and enthusiastic. "The name's Velvette. And I-" She grabs Cattaleya's hand and pulls her down from the table, which Cattaleya allows in pure surprise, not feeling a threat. "- am a huge fan." She actually wraps an arm around Cattaleya's neck and takes a selfie with her. "I mean-" She does some quick ticking away on her phone before she shows a video. "- you can kick ass! Look at the piss babies whine and cry and crawl." She purrs out as she shows the surveillance footage of Cattaleya previous… Well, defense. "What's your name, babe?"

"... Cattaleya."

"We are going to get along great! Bad bitches with some backbone need to stick together, ya know. What brings you here in that get up? I am digging the fucked-roughly-trough-the-night look but I didn't think that would be your vibe."

Cattaleya looks down at her clothes, actually having forgotten about that for a second. "Tactical choice." She replies, not knowing how else to react to the way too forward woman.

"Is there any reason for your barging in, Velvette?" Vox joins the conversation, looking less amused by Velvette's antics.

"Not at all, just wanting to see the femme in the flesh." Velvette points the camera at Cattaleya but then pouts. "This won't do for a good picture." She snaps her fingers and suddenly Cattaleya is in an entirely different get up. A sateen white ruched crop top that ends halfway to her belly with underneath it a tight white with silver pants. Her forearms are covered in feathered bracers and she has kind of like a flowy silver feathered train attached to her pants that goes to her ankles. Her hair magically braided and pinned up in a crown like fashion. "That's it! That's the look! This would break necks on a runway for certain." Her face flushes a bright red as the woman starts making pictures. This… Is unexpected. "You know, I could get you a job as a model. Popularity is written all over your face. You'll be top of the charts in a blink!"

And that is how she is offered a second job in less than 3 minutes apart. "No thank you."

"Come on, angel face. I will make sure-"

Cattaleya puts her hand on the phone and points it down to stop her from making more pictures. "I really decline. I am flattered in a… overwhelmed way but truly, I have no interest in becoming a model."

Velvette pouts but then rolls her eyes and grins. "Alright fine. But do know you can always give me a call if you change your mind."

"I don't really have a phone but-"

Velvette's loud gasp interrupts her as if it is the most shocking sin there is ever committed. "Hold on, babe. I got you." She dials a number and waits a second before it is picked up. "Get me a new fully installed phone with the latest tech and with my contacts in it within a minute or heads will roll. Go go!"

"That is kind but-"

"No worries no worries. You owe me nothing, this is a gift!" She waves it off as a poor guy comes running in, hyperventilating as he holds up a brand new phone. Velvette takes it and inspects it before deeming it good. "Now shoo." The guy flees just as fast as he had arrived. She checks the apps and such before handing it to Cattaleya. "There you go. The password is Voxtech, original yeah, but you can change that yourself. This is my number to call me, here you can text me on and send me pictures, here you can make your own socials if you want and I put in the latest video and news apps to stay up to date. You can text me anytime you like to hang out or such."

Cattaleya can't help but smile a bit as she lets out a small laugh. Boy she is a whirlwind. Even though she is one of the dreaded Vees as Charlie calls them, she feels no bad intentions from Velvette. "Alright."

"Great! Do you still have business with the grump or can I actually fetch you away to show you around what could become your studio?" Velvette tries again to interest her in a job as she interlocks their arms.

"Actually, I do need to leave. My time is almost up. Otherwise Alastor will tear down this whole place rather soon."

Velvette grins widely as her eyes spark in mischief. "That's juicy gossip. We do need to have a chat one day about how you actually managed to tie down the big bad Radio Demon."

Something tells Cattaleya that might not be the wisest decision, feeling like a secret shared to Velvette might not stay a secret for long. "Another day. I'll see you at the gala, Vox." She confirms before taking a quick bow and making a rapid leave. That had been… Interesting.

The streets surrounding the Vox building have long cleared from bystanders and curious eyes as each minute, the area darkened. Shadows began to loom threateningly. Alastor's patience dwindles next to his rising bloodlust with each passing second. His horns growing, his eyes changing. The final seconds tick away. Soon he'll tear this whole place to the ground. Make the ground shake and sinners quiver. He can already taste the blood on his tongue as he shreds his way through Vox's filthy-

The glass doors open, and the whole animous atmosphere is sucked back in as he sees Cattaleya walk out. In a blink he is in front of her, eyes taking her in head to toe at neck breaking speed. "What are you-" He then sees the blood on her arm. "Did he-" His static interrupted as she leans up and kisses his cheek to calm him long enough to say.

"I met Velvette." She motions to her clothes as if that would say enough. "And I did that myself." She now points at the claw marks.

"Why?" He growls out with a tight angry grin as he holds her arm closer, inspecting how deep the wound is. It is not that bad but every drop of blood is too much. Every scratch an insult to his very being.

"Simple, I told Vox that if he did not agree to come to the Gala I would walk down in a messed up state and let you barge in and kill freely."

His widened eyes look up at the mischievous satisfied gleam in her eyes. "You used me as a threat?"

"I sure did. And it worked like this." She snaps her fingers. "His bravado is fake and he is terrified of you. It was fairly easy honestly to convince him."

Alastor blinks twice before actually grinning in pure amusement and pride as he laughs. He pulls her against him as he looks at her lovingly. "Dearest, you are a true delight to unravel. To imagine you have such a manipulating way with words and actions! I would have been thrilled to have witnessed that."

She feels her heart swell as she leans up and gives him a sweet kiss, which he gladly accepts. "Does that mean you have more faith in me? That I will be fine?"

"Oh I will still be an absolute crazed mess!" He announces loudly but he takes her hand and softly kisses it before putting it against his chest. "But I do admit, this does help. I think we can come to solutions together for situations like this." He wraps an arm around her as he says "Come, let's go home."

Alastor tried at least four times to snatch the phone gifted by Velvette out of her hand to crush it to bits and pieces. Saying things like she doesn't need it, it will rot her brain and that is a ridiculous idea to have something the Vees could track her with. But she never had a phone before. And it was actually a curious device to discover so with big pleading eyes, he let it drop. To try to steal it later of course.

When they arrive at the Hotel, Charlie is practically bouncing up and down her chair at the bar next to Vaggie. "Wow, you look-"

"Like an overexaggerated war bird." Cattaleya finishes Vaggie's sentence and they share a grin. "Velvette apparently thinks this fits me. I didn't have much of a snapping choice in the matter."

"And?" Charlie, unable to hold it back any longer, pipes out.

Cattaleya grins more. "They will be present."

"YES! Thank you thank you THANK YOU!"

Charlie cheers loudly which has Cattaleya laughing. "It was no problem."

"I was ready to peel away skin from bodies." Alastor pipes in cheerfully with a big smile which has the woman wonder if he still is a bit riled up or not.

"Yes, you were. But it went well and I even think I can convince Velvette at least to listen well to your ideas." Cattaleya adds as she holds up the gifted phone. "Apparently, I left a lasting impression due to my last visit and she actually seems to like me in honest. So perhaps this is something we could use one day to- NO." She snaps as if correcting a child as she was just in time to move the phone away before Alastor could snatch it. He looks away to the side with a bit of a poutlike pull in his smile. "I swear if this thing goes missing I will know it was you and there will be repercussions." His eyes light up as if accepting a challenge. "Ones that will include you sleeping in your own room and me holding off anything that comes close to affection." He seems to reconsider it, the pout returns.

"You are a great help, Catty." She claps her hands together. "Okay, now that that is settled we should head back to preparations right away tomorrow morning! Alastor, could I ask to speak with you in private first though before you head to bed?"

"Surely Charlotte! After I have taken care of my dove." He says as he looks at her arm where the wounds are still eating away at him.

"Oh, I can take care of this myself. It's a quick wrap. I'll see you soon." She kisses his cheek before dismissing herself. She misses the way his pout returns, he had actually wanted to dote on her and coddle her.

Alastor follows Charlie to the office. "Make it quick. It has been a long day and I do not wish to be separated from Cattaleya for too long after you have sent her off on an errand that could have gotten rather bloody."

Oh yeah, he holds a grudge. "Sure thing! Well, you know right how I asked Catty to help us out with the Hotel and the Redemption program in a way?"

"I was ready to pluck your eyeballs out and feed them to your girlfriend."

Charlie laughs nervously as the smile on Aslastor's face doesn't move a muscle. Is he joking or? "Ha ha you really are a jester, Alastor."

"Who's jesting." He says as he smiles bigger.

"Anyway~ After dinner I called my dad and told him about the Gala to ask if he would like to be present and such. But also I asked him to drop by tomorrow to see the Hotel for himself and so that I could actually ask him the huge favor of arranging a meeting with Heaven for me."

"Lovely. Was that all?" He asks as he turns around to get back to his dear.

Charlie bites her lip hard before gathering her guts and bursts out. "I want Cattaleya to come with me to visit Heaven!"

Alastor can actually feel a vein snap in his brain. "What's that now?"

"Have Cattaleya come to Heaven with me to talk about redemption and such…" her voice gets softer and more meak with each word.

"Ha ha ha, no!" He whips around, his teeth bared in a huge grin as his eyes are full of menace. "She already brought herself in possible danger to go convince Vox to join your doomed to failed event and yet again you ask for her to put herself in harm's way. I am glad you came to me first because I warn you Charlotte, don't you dare ask this from her. With her generous heart, she will go and I will not have it."

If anything happened to her there, up in Heaven, where he could not reach her… No, the risks are too great. Even if she showed herself to be so strong and cunning today, Heaven is a whole different league. He could never guarantee her safety there. She would be truly on her own.

"Alastor, I know you don't like this idea but please I am begging you to look at it from my perspective. We are running out of time! And what better way to show heaven and convince them souls can be redeemed than show them the one soul we all think is the closest to actually going to Heaven."

"And what if they do agree, hmm? What if by some miraculous epiphany they decide they have been wrong all along! That souls in Hell can redeem themselves and Cattaleya is one of them? Will they open the gates? Call of the extermination right away with a sorry? Perhaps even keep Cattaleya there?" The thought alone has him nauseous. The idea of her being allowed into Heaven…. Would she go? If she had the chance for a better afterlife, would she leave him behind just like that? "You can go to that meeting if your father actually manages to arrange it, but I swear, not even Lucifer will be able to stop me from ripping you apart if you dare bring Cattaleya along." He seethes out as his shadows skitter around the room before he leaves.

"You're quiet."

"Hmm."

"Where are your thoughts?" She asks softly as she kisses the top of his head.

"Nowhere special." His reply is without the radio filter over his voice, only allowing himself the vulnerability of using his own voice when they are alone. He adjusts himself a bit from his position, lounging in her bed as he lays on her chest, arms around her waist as he uses her as his own cuddling pillow. The relaxing motion of her fingers running smoothly through his hair or the soothing rhythm of her breathing does not calm his thoughts.

Heaven.

When Alastor had started aiding this Hotel it was purely out of his own jollys, amusement and entertainment. Because there is no way in Hell a sinner could be redeemed enough for it to go to Heaven. He never saw it as a possibility. But then there is Cattaleya. A white speck in an all black world. And if there is anyone who would be misplaced in this wretched hole, it would be her. If he can see it, if he can see that Heaven has misplaced an angel, they would see it too. And they will take her from him. Pull her out of his grasp and he fears that there is nothing he could do about that. He can't risk losing her. Even if it is selfish, which it is, bloody core selfish, he will not let her go. Even if she… What if she wanted to…

He remembers the first time he had taken her out for lunch. That pain in her eyes. That secret turmoil as she showed herself. Wondering if there was truly no good inside of her. Wondering if she was a sinner and nothing more. What if Heaven gives her the chance to leave. That they show to her that her core is not as tainted as she believes. Would she go? Would she walk away? Does anything here means enough to her to stay…

"Alastor, do you want to sleep?"

"No… I want to hear your voice. Tell me a story." He mumbles against the skin of her collar bone.

Cattaleya smiles fondly down at him as she wonders for a second what to tell him. She has never been one to tell tales honestly… One has stuck with her though. "Long ago, in Feudal Japan, life was built on the flow of tradition. The system of ruling, led by a Shogun. The paths of the samurai and its swordsmiths, noble and honorable. The appreciation of the finer arts like calligraphy. Enjoyment of the simple passing down of crafts between father and son. Pillars of balance, respect and simplicity. One could be content by spending one's life solemnly devoted to making pottery or working on the lands. But times change, and so does technology as the human kind can do nothing against their drive to always improve. Always invent. Sometimes for the worst. So when one day, a ship sailed from a foreign world to another, and brought with them the smoking weaponry that could kill in the blink of an eye from a distance, the pillars collapsed. Greed took over. And so did fear. The noble ways of the sword literally struck down. Anyone could kill now. And anyone could seize power. The Shogun and his General fought hard to keep the borders of their lands safe. But the power seeking crazed enemies were stopping at nothing, using the unholy unnobel methods of the gun to defeat the sword. The Shogun refused to give in. Refused to turn his back on the ways of his people. Refused to yield. Even when his warriors were being gunned down. He did retreat though, to gather his thoughts, regroup his army, in a hidden castle between the mountain passage ways. Only his inner circle knew where he resided. And that is when the General, recognizing they could never win, broke his oath and turned his back on the Shogun, siding with the enemy to better his odds."

Alastor can't help but make comparisons with this story and his previous thoughts. Would she betray him for better? Involuntarily his arms around her tighten but he lets her continue.

"One day, the Shogun stood in front of his castle, the last of his warriors behind him as the enemies marched through the passageway, outnumbered them, guns in their hands, and his previous loyal General, his friend, marching beside the enemy's leader. The General and Shogun locked eyes as the tyrant from an other country spewed his words, mocking and already victorious in his mind. So sure of his conquest that he did not see the General pulling out his katana. Did not feel the blade slicing his head clean off of his body till it was too late. The General had played them all. A snake in the pit ready to strike. The Shogun had never lost the loyalty of his General. But he did lose his friend as the ultimate act of loyalty was paid with his own death. Before the enemy's head hit the ground, shots rang, and the General lost his life. The brilliant executed attack behind enemy lines had the entire army in disarray. Panicked. So they were not able to defend themselves as the forces the General had rallied in secret appeared from behind. It became a slaughter. Sword won from the gun. The Shogun kept his reign and the General was forever praised for his bravery, brilliance and loyalty. I am sure when the story got told to me it had some deeper intention. Like be careful who you trust or something more sinister. But to me, the story always left me in awe, wondering if I could ever be that loyal to anything. To be that brave to protect the ones I care about. I never had anything to care that much about in my living life but now…" A smile graces her lips as she caresses her fingers over his cheek, feeling his smile widen as well. "I think I have found something I can be that brave for."

"Do you think the General went to Hell or Heaven?"

The way he mumbles it has her frowning slightly. Not really understanding where the question comes from. "I think Hell. But I hope Heaven. Why do you ask?"

Alastor hesitates a bit but then pushes himself up to look at her properly. "Do you think it is possible? For a sinner to be redeemed and go to Heaven?"

Cattaleya chuckles softly. "Darin, what has you so interested in-" She then notices the look on his face, that tight pull of his smile, those tiny wrinkles between his eyebrows he always has when he is insecure or uncertain of something. "Oh. Well… I do believe there are sinners who do not deserve to be here. That they have been wrongly judged. But if Heaven is truly that strict about who has earned their place in Heaven, I don't believe they will be lenient in their rules or ways. Though perhaps, one day, if they are really confronted by their misjudgments, they might change the rules. I don't think it is a matter of redemption but more of finally seeing an action should not doom an entire soul for eternity. And yes, maybe, a soul can change when down here. I certainly think Angel has been making progress for example. Only time will tell if Heaven will bend. I do hope though that one day, some day, someone like me on earth will have a better shot at an afterlife in Heaven."

Bile rises in his throat, and he dreads the answer he will receive, but he has to ask. He has to know. "If given the opportunity, if they offer it to you right now, would you accept going to Heaven?"

"If you had asked me when I had first fallen here, I would have said yes." She cups his cheeks. "But one very wise and charming demon told me to start being myself here. And I think because I listened to him, and my own heart, I discovered my own Heaven right here. I wouldn't give that up for anything. I am staying right here. Where you made me belong. I belong right here, with you."

Alastor's smile wobbles, even feels something prickle in the back of his eyes, as he feels a huge wave of relief and… love. He utterly hopelessly is desperately in love with her. It can't be anything else anymore. Doesn't even dare name it anything less for it would be an insult. He loves her. Even if his lips can't form the words yet. His heart knows it. Accepts it. All of it.

Out of sheer joy and bliss, he roughly kisses her, sighing out deeply through his nose as she returns his kiss and holds him tightly. Praying to whatever god had gifted him this angel that she will never be taken away.

Darin: Darling. It is an Japanese term of endearment. Also, I truly think Velvette and Cattaleya would get along pretty great if given the oppertunity. So I really liked Velvette actually being a huge fan for kicking Vox's ass. Also, I am a sucker for vulnerable Alastor, nothing can change my mind. Baby deserves to be able to be vulnerable. Gimme thoughts!