Charlie was just. So. HAPPY!
It had been five months since the drama of the forced engagement started. Five months of trying to break down Alastor's barriers. She didn't think they were doing a shabby job of it.
Right now, Alastor and Vaggie were battling over the flower arrangements. Alastor was insisting on pitcher plants and Venus fly traps being mixed in. Charlie did disagree with him a tiny bit. Vaggie was full-on 'no'. When Charlie had left them, Vaggie had set up a chart on the most complimentary colors for a bouquet that matched with red and blue.
Charlie had decided to talk with some of the residents. She hadn't done a walk like that for at least a month. Her focus had been so hard on Alastor that she was neglecting her guests.
"How's therapy going?" Charlie asked when she stopped by a nook to talk with Tom. She was rather worried about him; he got drunk an alarming amount of days. There was something going on.
"It's fine," he snipped, dumping some of his booze down his gas mask. "I'll Ascend at some point if I keep going, right?"
"It…doesn't quite work that way," Charlie said.
"Well then, I'm fucked." Tom sighed and started to get up. "Time to refill the cup."
Charlie blocked him, making him sit down and move over as she put herself in the same seat. "Drinking your problems away doesn't work. It's temporary at best."
"I'll take 'temporary'," Tom said. "It's better than reality."
"Why don't we break down why you want to get away from reality." Charlie asked, "You didn't drink this much when you first checked in."
Tom gripped his glass hard. "When I got here, I was trying to get away from my coworker . That bitch ran me off even before I decided to try and Redeem myself. Super cunt." He pointed accusingly at the bar. "Now, I have to watch that piece of shit on the screen all day, every day." He gripped his head. "No matter where I go, she's constantly following me."
"So, you're drowning your trauma with alcohol," Charlie inferred.
He looked down at the ice in his glass. Swirling them around, he sighed. "Something like that."
"Would it help if the tv was turned off?" Charlie suggested.
"Not completely." Tom pulled out his phone. "Katie sends me messages regularly. I've tried switching numbers, blocking her, getting an entirely new phone. Every time, she finds me again and sends me these."
On the screen were many, many new messages from 'Bitch'. Each one was more vulgar than the last. Katie was clearly trying to taunt him into replying.
Charlie frowned. "We could take your phone and put it somewhere you won't be tempted to look at it."
"And lose contact with my kids ?! Are you kidding me!?"
A stray thought, Alastor mentioning her splitting up families, almost made her cringe. Now was not the time to be thinking about that sort of thing!
"Hm…" Charlie thought hard on it. Then, idea! "I can go talk to her!"
"What?" Tom seemed dumbfounded. " Talk to her ? You're joking, right?"
"Nope!"
Tom slammed a hand on the table. "That bitch is one of the irredeemable ones. She still hates you for showing she wears a wig on television. I still love you for that."
A plan started forming in her head. It sounded like a bit of good cop, bad cop was needed. "Don't worry, I have it covered."
" How ?"
A smug smile was followed by, "I'll go talk to her with Alastor!"
Tom thought for a second. He admitted, "Yeah, that might work." Chuckling, he added, "You should skip to your fiance eating her. It'd be best for everyone involved."
"What? No!" Charlie shook her head, making an X with her arms. "Nope nope nopity nope! No eating. Just…" She searched for the right words. "...a bit of emotional coercion!"
It sounded worse when she said it out loud.
"Eh. I still say eat her." Tom sighed. "I think I'll go sleep some of it off."
This time Charlie let Tom out of the booth. He gave Charlie a two-finger salute before making his way for the main stairs up to the rooms for the guests. Charlie let out her own sigh once he was out of earshot.
She said her thoughts out loud. "Okay, so, one of your guests is being tormented by their former coworker. You promised to take care of it. The coworker is a very not nice person who hates you. Good cop, bad cop might work. Which requires Alastor's help." Charlie rubbed her head. "This will definitely not be a disaster." She paused, then corrected, "Hopefully."
"Okay, I think I see where you're coming from. What about splitting the difference? Have the killer plants in the vases around the room to keep the peace, and no killer plants in the bouquets?"
"That may work," Alastor allowed. "Would you like to shake on it?"
" No ."
Their words echoed out of the penthouse suite down the stairs that Charlie was climbing. Charlie could feel her eyes shining bright and a giant smile grace her face. It really touched her, them getting along and actually talking without her there. It meant that things in the future would go more smoothly.
The future … She tried not to get lost in the idea of MARRYING VAGGIE and Alastor. The thought on Alastor was less so than Vaggie, but Charlie could feel some real excitement about it. She still couldn't get it out of her head that she was being forced into it, that it wasn't entirely natural. She mentally swept it to the side.
Charlie shook off her momentary pause and opened the door all the way. Vaggie and Alastor were at Vaggie's color chart making 'corrections' here and there. There were a lot of crossed out words. Alastor looked amused while Vaggie looked like she had a headache. As the door creaked open, they both turned towards it.
They both straightened up and looked more relaxed as they both greeted her at the same time.
"Charlie!"
"My dear bride!"
"Hi guys!" She shut the door behind her. How to break the topic?
"What did you want to talk about?" Vaggie asked.
"Yes, what are you thinking?" Alastor said, "Your cringe and hesitancy gives you away!"
Drat! Either she was too easy to read or her partners had caught on to her tells. Shaking it off, she said, "One of our guests is having some trouble with…someone."
"Okay?" Vaggie looked on expectantly, Alastor with his neutral smile.
"And, I was hoping, maybe, we could go talk to this person? Maybe play good cop, bad cop? Maybe?" Charlie hoped she didn't sound as nervous as she felt.
"I can do that!" both Alastor and Vaggie said at the same time. They looked at each other and descended into a vicious staring contest, Alastor's lip turning up and Vaggie glaring.
"My dear Vaggie, you must realize that as an Overlord, my position allows me to better handle Sinners!" Alastor said in the strict polite tone he used when he was covering himself.
"Whoever this is, I'm sure my spear will make them change their mind." Vaggie glanced at Charlie. "Who is it?"
This time, Charlie definitely cringed. "Katie Killjoy."
Vaggie's face fell as Alastor laughed. Vaggie asked, "You do realize she isn't afraid of anything, right?"
"She isn't afraid of you ," Alastor corrected.
"That was before everyone learned I'm an Angel." Vaggie traced a finger along her spear's blade. "I'm sure she's changed her mind about me."
"You literally said she's not afraid of anything, even you," Alastor reminded her. He partially transformed as he said, " She'll be afraid of me ."
"Vaggie, I was hoping for someone…more outwardly evil?" Charlie said.
Vaggie paused, then said, "What? You want someone more evil ?"
"More outwardly evil," Charlie repeated.
Vaggie's eye twitched. Alastor bowed. He graciously said, "I'm at your service, Charlie! Now…"
Alastor asked, eyes glinting, "When would you like me to eat her?"
" No eating ."
"You say that now. I'm certain you'll change your mind!"
"I won't," Charlie said cheerily. She waved for him to follow. "Come on! Let's go help our guest!"
"But of course!"
Vaggie looked frustrated as they left. Charlie would have to make it up to her later.
"Here we are!" The shadows around them subsided as they stood in front of a tacky, gaudy townhouse in a less terrible part of the Pride ring. It was trying to scream 'I am rich and powerful' but only came across as desperate. Alastor twirled his cane. "How would you like to handle this?"
"First, I'll see if she will listen to me make my case. If she says no to all of it, I want you to come up behind me and be scary!" Charlie exclaimed.
"Sounds rather boring," Alastor noted, smiling genially.
"It's okay! If you're scary enough, I'm sure she'll change her mind." Charlie skipped up a couple of steps and waved at Alastor. "Stay right there! You'll know when you need to step in!"
Charlie stopped at the front door. Before she knocked, she straightened her shirt and jacket and took a quick breath. Then she used the door knocker.
It took a minute for Katie to get to the door. Charlie didn't knock again; she could hear the potent swearing from where she stood. The door flew open outwards to Charlie's surprise, making her dodge backwards to keep from getting hit.
"For the last damn time, YOU HAVE THE WRONG ADDRESS!" Katie yelled before she noticed Charlie. Her hair was haphazardly shoved onto her head. Pure hatred flashed across her face as she hissed, " You ."
"Hi! As I can tell, you remember me from when I was on your program last." Charlie said, an attempt at a smile trying to get through the cringe.
"Go the fuck away, bitch!" Katie tried to shut the door. Charlie blocked her. This was too important to let go! A soul was at stake!
"I'm afraid I can't do that." Charlie began her spiel. "As you know, Tom Trench is trying to Redeem himself."
Katie snorted. "Yeah, like the lil' shithead he is. Why should I care?"
Charlie said cheerily, "He's making great progress! There's one little itty bitty thing that's holding him back." She motioned at Katie with her hands. "That's you."
"Really," Katie drawled. Then, to Charlie's horror, she laughed. "Oh holy hells, that's great! That loser doesn't deserve anything." Her eyes narrowed at Charlie. "Neither do you."
"If you could just listen -"
"I heard you loud and clear. You know what I'm gonna do?" She pulled out her phone, making a show of typing on it. "I'm going to text him more ."
Charlie felt herself starting to get angry. "That won't help anyone!"
"No, it won't." Katie stared her down. "You really think you can intimidate me? You're as much of a loser as that cocksucker Tom!"
"At least I'm not a hairless hag ," Charlie snapped.
Before she could apologize for losing her temper, Katie struck. She let loose a solid, loud slap against Charlie's cheek. It was strong enough to make her almost fall down the stairs. If she hadn't been as powerful as she was, she was certain her nose would be bleeding.
"You bitch !" Katie growled. "I'm going to grind…you…" Her gaze had ventured behind Charlie. Her pupils were pinpricks and her mouth was twisted in horror.
Charlie didn't understand. Then a shadow eclipsed her. She looked up.
Alastor was a pure monster . The Wendigo was on full display, his eyes black dials and black tentacles coming out of his back. His teeth had elongated like he was going to chew something to pieces.
" How DARE you hurt my bride!? " He carefully grabbed Charlie and set her to the side as he climbed the stairs, towering over Katie Killjoy. " I'm going to destroy you. Tear your body apart, eat your screaming soul on my radio show. Spit you up and re-eat you over and over until everyone knows not to touch Charlie and Vaggie. You'll live in my gullet with all the rest of the fools that dared to cross the Radio Demon. "
Alastor reached out, grabbing Katie and opened his mouth. The pure terror on the news anchor's face made Charlie certain that she'd been scared enough. Charlie had to do something!
She grabbed one of Alastor's legs and shouted, "Stop!"
To her surprise, Alastor did pause with Katie positioned to drop in his mouth. He looked down. " Why? This bitch deserves everything she gets. "
"We did what we came for! Look at her! She's terrified!" Charlie hugged his leg for all she was worth. "Please don't eat her!"
He contemplated that for a moment. Alastor suddenly shrank, letting Katie fall head-first on the cement. He then said, "How can I deny a plea from my dearest Charlie?"
Katie righted herself, shaking. It looked like she'd wet herself; her clothes wet at the crotch. Her hair had disappeared somewhere. After a shivering breath, she stuttered, "I-I won't go after Tom again. I'll delete his number. Hell, I'll block his number. That'll work, right?"
Charlie sighed, then said, "Yes, it will."
"Good!" She jumped to her feet and raced for her door. "You'll never have to worry about me again!" Slamming the door, Charlie could hear a multitude of locks being put in place.
"Mission accomplished!" Alastor said with a giant proud grin on his face.
Charlie laughed weakly. "Yeah." Clearing her throat, she suggested, "Let's go get ice cream."
"Oh?" Alastor pondered. "What has upset you, my dear?"
Again, she was too easy to read. This time it was probably for the best. She said, "I'm…" Charlie looked at him. "Am I really that important to you?"
"Of course!" Alastor put an arm around her shoulders. "We are partners! We'll never be apart!"
"If I am, could you please not eat people? Like, full-on monster swallowing people on my behalf?"
If Alastor would have ever frowned, this was the closest it came. The corners of his lips twitched and he withdrew his arm, though he was able to keep a smile on his face. "Why?"
"I don't want everyone to be too afraid to come to the hotel because you might eat them," Charlie said simply.
"Hm…" He thought for a moment. Then he finally said, "I will refrain from eating possible guests. But I will not tolerate any disrespect towards you or Vaggie."
Charlie assumed this was the closest to him promising not to eat people for her without making a deal. She considered asking for a deal before the thought cleared from her head. Making any more deals was a bad idea.
Her mind wandered to how protective he'd been. It was another tic on the box that he was growing to care for herself and Vaggie. She was sure Vaggie would take it all the wrong way and threaten him. Charlie, for her part, understood where Alastor was coming from. Daring to hurt his brides when he was trying to cultivate a high-tier position with them would have made him seem weak. At the same time, Charlie was hoping there was more to it than that.
It was then Charlie realized that Alastor was walking right next to her. Normally he kept his distance from others when walking anywhere. It gave her an idea. She reached out with a hand, at first brushing against his own before grabbing and holding his hand.
He didn't hold hers back but neither did he pull away.