"-so I'm not sure if we're actually getting closer or if he's using me to get to my dad," Charlie finished.
Her friends were settled around her at the bar in the Hell Embassy, a new building that finished being erected in Heaven the month prior. Husk was playing bartender as he did before he was Redeemed while the rest of them sat about taking sips of Heaven's alcohol-free booze.
Husk immediately turned to Sir Pentious. "Looks like I win."
"What?! The bet issss sssstill ongoing!" Sir Pentious pointed at Charlie. "She issssn't sure! AND! I did not exclussssively ssssay that it wassss hissss only goal. Only that it wassss one!"
"He's got you there," Anthony said with a laugh.
"Damn. I didn't pay attention to the wording." Husk sighed. "Being in this cushy place is dulling my skills."
"Huh. You might actually pull this off, Edgelord," Cherri said to Sir Pentious.
That caught Charlie off-guard. "What?"
Cherri looked at her. "The way we see it, you're domesticating him. Sure, he'll make crooked deals sometimes. That's who he is! It's like he can't exist without doing that sort of thing. Look at what you've accomplished!" Her eye widened. "The fucker actually let you hold his hand . He helped you up . He tried to eat a bitch of a tv host to protect you!"
"The 'we' she's referring to is her and snake boy," Husk growled. He muttered, "It's all a game he's playing. He's got some kind of end goal in place. I'm willing to bet it's something like enraging your dad to break the deal, he's sacrificed to break the pact, and Alastor does whatever the hell he pleases as the new top dog with you enslaved as a toy to play with."
"I think you're giving the guy too much credit on that point." Anthony ate the olive out of his martini as Charlie stared at Husk in horror. "The guy's acting too buddy-buddy with toots over here and Vaggie. I think Cherrisnake over there have a point."
"Angy, I love you, but if you call us that one more time I swear I'm draggin' you to the explosives field and setting you up as a dummy," Cherri said casually. She turned back to Charlie. "Pick that jaw up! Shake off the terror in yer gut! As me and Pentious have bet, we think there's somethin' there."
Charlie did as she instructed. Breathe in, then out. In, then out. Her heart settled down and the feeling in her gut lessened considerably. Right. The progress they had made. Alastor letting her touch him more. The genuine emotions she could pick out. The fun they'd had! Not all of it could be an act.
Sir Pentious and Cherri were right. There was something, some one , a lonely soul reaching out for a connection. She would do anything to save even one more soul. Though Husk's observation made her nervous. It sounded like something the Alastor of five years' previous would do.
This wasn't that Alastor. This Alastor loved pineapples. His left ear twitched if he was at a disadvantage in a game. He danced like a natural, and loved to dance with herself and Vaggie. Most of all, during their last dinner date he'd given her that look…
No. Charlie was certain now. He really was looking for someone to connect with. Alastor's deal with her dad was a mystery. Hopefully once the wedding was over Alastor would be willing to mutually break the deal with her dad. If it was possible. She wasn't sure what adding blood to a deal did. She presumed it made it stronger. Maybe neither of them could break it, just like the deal between herself, Vaggie, and Alastor?
She thought on the wording. Alastor had specified wedding. Nothing about marriage. So the deal would effectively be nullified on her dad's end if her dad could hang in there until they were wed. It seemed like a weird oversight to Charlie.
An idea hit her. Out loud, she thought, "What if he made the deal to keep himself in check?"
Anthony and Husk looked like they were smacked with a trout. "What?"
"What if he wanted to make this deal so he'd have to keep from hurting me and Vaggie? His way of ensuring we're safe?" Charlie got up and paced. "He has this weird need to make and keep deals. Maybe he can't handle getting close to us and is finding a way to take care of us without admitting anything?"
"Pipe dream," muttered Husk.
"Maybe. But isn't it better than expecting the worst from him?" Charlie replied.
That took the wind out of Husk's sails. He busied himself with taking away Anthony's glass and cleaning it. Anthony looked between Husk and the empty spot where his drink had sat. He grumbled, "Dick."
Husk rolled his eyes. "You were done drinking. It's my job to clean up."
"Your self-appointed job," Anthony snorted. "Why the hell do you bartend here when you could literally do anything else . Because WE ARE IN HEAVEN!"
"I realized that I enjoy helping people with their woes," Husk replied. "That's why I'm here. To help the damned souls that decide to come up try to make peace with their sins."
"That's such a noble goal," Charlie said, eyes shining. "Helping out other souls like that…!"
"Gotta admit, he's good at it." Cherri thumbed at him. "It weren't very long after he chatted with that Janine bartender that she Ascended."
"REALLY?! That's how she got past her husband?" The sparkle in her eye was blinding for everyone. Thankfully, Charlie closed her eyes and cheered. "It's great that you're doing such good! Great job!"
"It's nothing." Husk put Anthony's glass back where he'd grabbed it from. "It gives me something to do, and I feel accomplished doing it."
Charlie shook off her wonder. She had to focus! "I'm going to keep trying to reach Alastor."
"I'm telling you, his endgame is your dad," Husk said.
"And WE think you're jusssst butthurt that he had your ssssoul for a while," Sir Pentious countered.
"You've never had your soul used as a playpiece. If you had, you'd think different," Anthony defended Husk.
"Okay!" Charlie felt refreshed. "I'm going back down and I'm going to do my best to keep breaking down Alastor's shell. I'll save him from his worst impulses."
"Good luck," Husk said insincerely. "If I hadn't already made it, I'd do the same bet." He pointed at Charlie. "Don't go and get yourself hurt."
"I won't!" She hopped up from her seat. "Thanks guys for listening to me!"
"No problem. What're friends for?" Cherri rhetorically asked.