*KNOCK KNOCK*
Alastor knew who it was at his door. He got the feeling that he always got when she was around. He wanted her to be there, but he didn't want her to know that he wanted her there, so he acted nonchalant when he allowed her in.
"Oh, it's you," he said, his tone betraying nothing as she entered with a large basket on her arm, with two bottles sticking out of the top. One is filled with a light pink liquid and the other has something much darker inside.
"I heard you like Rye from a certain cat." She shakes the bottle and places it on Alastor's end table between two chairs in front of the fireplace.
Voe had on a hot pink suit and a button-up v-neck peaking out from under it, likely from the fashion line that she spoke of so fondly, The click of her heels and the crackling fire are the only sounds heard inside the room as she makes herself comfortable, sitting in the armchair across from him.
"I came to apologize to you," she takes two glasses out of the basket "I am so sorry that I compared you to your father, you are nothing like the person that caused you so much pain and trauma," she hands Alastor the glass "And this is my peace offering,"
Alastor reaches for the bottle, examining it "Did you procure this from behind the bar?"
Voe shakes her head vigorously "I bought this, very aged and very expensive,"
He pops the bottle open and runs it under his nose "Hm, seems good quality,"
"Only the best for Alastor," she grins at him
He raises an eyebrow, she seems sincere in her apology and is doing her best to please him. Alastor pours the whiskey into the glass. Voe finally exhales.
"I'd also like to take this moment to apologize for everything else I've done," she seemed somewhat worried
"And what else have you done?"
She shakes her head "Just everything. The general person that I am,"
"Oh well, that's something of a cop-out. Don't apologize for who you are, you don't see me doing that,"
"That's because you're not sorry,"
His eyes glint in the light of the fire "Right. And you aren't either," He throws back a shot of the whiskey "You're only saying that because you think that's what people want to hear. Apologize for your actions, not your personality,"
She tries to look anywhere but him, in fear that she will feel…something. In truth, she wasn't sure what she was feeling, but it was a mix of embarrassment, joy, self-consciousness, confidence, and bliss whenever she saw his face. He was gorgeous, in a dark and twisted way. What did that say about her?
Alastor slams down the glass "Whatever is on your mind?"
She waves him off "Nothing,"
"I do not like the lies,"
Voe rolls her eyes and scoffs.
"Vera…"
There it was again. She preferred when people down here called her Voe, except for Alastor. The way he spoke her name was like the same feeling of smelling fresh gasoline in a car, ultra-satisfying. It made her feel quite ticklish on the inside.
"You," she finally spits out "I'm just thinking about you,"
Alastor's grin spreads further "My my, what a wonderful way to fill one's mind. What do you think of me?"
"That you're…gorgeous, and that I don't know exactly what I'm feeling when I look at you,"
He seems pleased with the answer as he fills up his glass once more, humming. Voe takes out the bottle she'd brought for herself and sets it on the table next to Alastor's rye. She pops it open and pours a glass for herself.
"You love the color pink," Alastor sets down his glass "Tell me why," he leans forward, resting on the armrest
She's caught off guard by this but already has a prepared answer "I feel emotions much more intensely than most people that I've ever met. And I process and understand them a lot differently as well. One of the things I was asked when I was evaluated for my autism, was 'How would you describe how happiness feels inside you?', and I told her that it felt like a pink sparkle rising from my stomach to my chest. This was the first time that I had ever put it into words. After that, I realized that I associate pink with happiness so I do my best to surround myself with that color. And I do my best to be happy," She drinks from the glass. When she looks back down, she sees Alastor staring at her with an expression of admiration and joy on his face. He starts clapping and Voe looks away, somewhat embarrassed, wondering if she'd said too much.
"I must say, I've never heard anything like that before,"
"Yeah well whatever," her cheeks are the same color as her clothes as she pours herself another glass
"You don't have to be embarrassed around me, darling," his closed-lipped smile sent flutters through her stomach. She watched him down another glass "I've seen your body, show me your soul," he snickers at his own little joke
She downs another "I really do think you're beautiful," she blurts "I didn't just say it to make you feel better about you being mixed. I meant that,"
"Well I'm glad to know that you think so highly of me, rightfully so," His long fingers rim the glass as he stares at his female counterpart
"That's my Alastor," Voe says, a slight slur to her speech
He raises his eyebrows "Your Alastor? My dear, I thought we agreed that we didn't own each other,"
The doe has a michievous smile on her face, she shakes her head "No, we agreed that you didn't own me," a shit-eating grin spreads across her face
He's impressed by this loophole "Clever, but it takes more than words to own me, darling,"
She rolls her eyes "I don't need to do anything," she snickers at him, and he merely squints back to hide the fact that she was absolutely right.
Alastor gives her outfit a once over "Just telling you, you would look ravishing in the color red," he purrs taking another shot
"That's your color," she taps her fingers
"I know," his grin turns evil as he stares her down
She points at him "Okay, but if I wear red, then you have to wear pink, deal?"
Alastor laughs heartily, a laugh track coming from somewhere in his body "Definitely not,"
"Oh well, there goes me wearing the color red,"
"Are you that stubborn?"
"How am I stubborn that I want something in return, and our terms to be laid out clearly and preferably in writing? Is that stubborn?"
"No," he admits "It's smart,"
Voe smirks "Well I'm glad to know you think so highly of me, rightfully so,"
Alastor examined her body language, her legs crossed, her blazer unbuttoned, and one hand lying in her lap while the other classily handled her glass. Her eyes are big and bright as she lets her hair do the talking with its hue and size. She was breathtaking, but this he kept to himself.
"You know," she says holding the glass gracefully between her fingers. Her nails clink against it "I spent all this time thinking that deep down I was secretly just a little tortured baby, just because I didn't feel very good about myself," she begins cackling "But now I think I finally get it. I'm just not a very nice person!" She calms down "I think I could be a good person, but not a nice one. You get me?"
Alastor swallows another shot, the sensation burning his chest in a pleasurable way. He nods in response to her question.
"You were right," he says his voice devoid of its usual filter, sounding a little unsteady "about me being cruel. I know I am."
She laughs "I know that!" She takes a breath "And I adore you regardless," she looks up at him "Does that make me crazy?"
"Do I look like an indicator of sanity my dear?" And they laugh like banshees
"And I wouldn't change a thing about you," Voe sighs once they settle down from their laughter
Alastor absorbs this comment, this was something new. For his entire existence, the only person who didn't want to change something about him was his mother, and she didn't know everything that he was. Even dear Charlotte wanted him to change as a means of redemption. It was very refreshing to find someone who knew him- all of him -and still enjoyed him exactly the way he was, there was Rosie, of course, but he didn't feel the same with her, this feeling this tie he had with Voe felt much deeper. He had waited years before deciding Rosie was appropriate to trust, but with Voe it came so naturally, that he wondered why.
Alastor felt the warmth of the liquor taking over his body. Something in him must have physically shifted because Voe seemed to have taken notice as well.
He puts his glass down and kneels in front of her, holding her hand
"I want you to be mine, my doe."
"I am." She states plainly "You don't have to own me for that to be true."
"I want to make sure you never leave."
"Can't you trust me?" He is quiet. "No man will ever own me in a literal sense. But I promise Alastor, I'm yours." the words hurt her to say. She knew what Vox had told her, and she had to think of what was more important to her, this relationship or this career. She places her hand on his face. Alastor removes it and holds it in his large clawed hands.
"I need you to know something, Vera," She looks up at the mention of her name "The day I first asked for your soul, and you asked for mine, I-" he swallows his words
"What?"
"At the time it was said in jest, but since then I've considered giving it to you,"
"What? Why?"
"Because," he looks at her "you are no ordinary sinner. You are my doe and there's no one I'd rather have it,"
"I- I don't want to own you, I-"
"I'm not done." She closes her mouth and looks at him "But I can't give it to you because-" he looks away. She reaches for his face and turns it over to her
"Take your time,"
"I can't give it to you because…someone already owns it"
Voe is taken aback "You-?" He nods "Oh my gosh! Alastor! How did you- Why did- What did-" He looks up at her filled with shame and embarrassment, and she returns his gaze with compassion "This must be eating you up inside,"
He shuts his eyes tightly and opens them once more. She stops and thinks about how this would be prime information that the Vees might desire. This is the big drop they were looking for. She'd done it. She'd gotten the information that could destroy the Radio Demon once and for all. All she had to do now was tell them. But when she looked down in front of her, she didn't see him. There was no Radio Demon, there was only Alastor—Mama's boy from New Orleans, who loves jazz and stupid puns. Whose dream was to be on the one medium where how he looked didn't matter, and he was holding onto her hand.
He stares at her fingers as if they were made of gold. Voe begins cackling hysterically, pulling her hand back to her chest. She laughs until she can't breathe, her skin is pink, and tears roll down her cheeks. She falls to her knees beside the Radio Demon.
"Why do you look at me like that?" She asks through tears. Her chest is heavy with the weight of her choices. "I'm a giant walking, red flag!" she exclaimed.
"Vera… Look at me," he commanded, and she complied. Her ears perked up as she heard him say her name. He grabs her face and stares directly into her eyes
"Darling, red is my favorite color," he said grinning evilly, and leaned in, breathing against her tears, then taking his tongue and dragging it up her face.
Her jaw falls open and he begins cackling alongside her. She grabs his face and licks him right back.
He licks her jawline and she licks his neck. He licks her collarbone, slowly this time. She stares at his throat and carefully removes his bowtie, then carefully unbuttons the top of his shirt. Her eyes shift upward and he looks down at her hands.
"Go on," he says, and she pulls apart the shirt to reveal the top of his pecs, which she then drags her tongue across.
Instantly, Alastor's hands were undoing the buttons on her blouse, throwing back her suspenders, and reaching inside to unsheathe her breasts. She gasps as he drags his tongue down from her collarbone to her breasts, stopping at the nipple. He sucks on it, giving it his full attention. She looks down at him in arousal and presses his head closer, as he sucks on each nipple harder and harder. Her heat dripped with each second, so much that she was sure it would show through her pants. He stares at her with intention as his tongue circles her nipple inside his closed mouth.
Once he finally releases her breast she reaches for his warmth, the cool air now hitting her nipples even harder with Alastor's saliva still left on them. She lets out a whine, her hands looking for something to grasp
"Shhh" he puts his finger to her lips. He removes his shirt and pulls her towards him. She sticks out her tongue and Alastor catches it with his own. He lowers his head removing her pants and panties, excited to continue his trend of licking.
Alastor could feel the heat of her cunt on his face, he exhales, adding some heat of his own, sending a shiver up Voe's spine. "Are you ready?" he asks Southern accent on full display
"Yes," she moans
Alastor licks the dripping liquid from her slit, eliciting a moan from Voe, he then looks up at her, her pupils dilated, eyes full of lust. His tongue slithers inside her folds, thick and wet. He tasted her juices from every angle. Her body twitches from the insertion and her hips buck upwards as his tongue curls inside her. He removes his tongue, eyes meeting her and whispers "Ma belle biche. Le soleil ne signifie rien quand vous êtes proche. Vous êtes la lune et les étoiles" before reentering her, flipping and pumping his tongue inside her. He pulls his tongue out and starts flicking her clit up and down. Side to side. In circles. And then sucking on it like it was one of her nipples. She pushes his head down, grabbing a fistful of his hair, arching her back as her orgasm gets closer as he sucks, releasing all over his face, into his waiting and open mouth. After licking up the rest, he sits up and wipes his mouth, smirking "Vous êtes absolument délicieuse."
"You know I don't know what you're saying right?" She laughs
He just goes in for another kiss, sliding his tongue down her throat.
She glances down at his crotch "May I? Please? Please?" She begs him "Please? Please?" She is practically drooling at this point.
Alastor looks at her restless tongue and lips, loving the sound of this proud woman begging him for permission, and decides to allow it "Well all right, if you desire it so." he smirks
Voe smiles and crouches down with her butt in the air, unzipping and removing his trousers and underwear. She marvels at the sight of his cock, then licks the tip of it to which Alastor moans in response. The sound made Voe bite her lip, as Alastor very rarely moaned in her presence. She sticks her tongue out and flicks it up the slit, making another moan slip out. With giddiness, Voe wraps her lips around his thick cock, and Alastor, not used to the sensation leans his head back on the chair behind him and breathes heavily, a deep hum is felt in the vibration of his chest.
Voe pumps his shaft, making sure to make as much contact with her tongue as possible, bobbing her head up and down, while twisting with both of her hands. She feels Alastor's palm on the back of her head, pushing her down further, and smiles, taking him deeper into her throat. So deep that if she had a gag reflex, it would have been triggered already. More and more she pumps until she feels his thick white liquid coating her throat. She swallows it, with the saliva-covered cock, still in her hands. She releases it, and comes back up, licking his chest and throat once more, and leaving bite marks where anyone could see them. She lifted his head off the seat.
"May I try something new please?"
Alastor is out of breath but musters a short nod. Voe claps in glee as she retakes his newly hard cock in her hands once more, placing it at the perfect angle to lower herself onto. She moans loudly, without a care of who might hear. Alastor twitches inside of her as his head remains on the chair. She lifts his head back up. His smile looks lazy and his eyes are lidded.
"Stay with me okay? I wanna look at you." She holds his head up as she rides him slowly. His crimson eyes were bright in the darkness, so she had a clear view of them rolling back into his head, and almost dropping back as she let him go for a second. She slaps his cheek "Stay alert okay?" she giggles as her speed increases. His antlers start to grow exponentially and she holds onto them to keep his head up. He closes his eyes and once they reopen, his sclera is now black. She pulls his head down to her and whispers "You wanna know what I'm gonna do now?" he nods very small "Right now, I'm going to spell my name on you. And not my sinner name, my real name okay?" Alastor lifts his head on his own, seeming to have regained control "V-E-R-A." She curves her hips into the shape of each letter and the buck's eyes flutter, letting out bleats left and right "Now," she whispers once more "I'm going to spell your name okay?" he doesn't respond and she holds his face to look at her "Okay?" she asks for confirmation
"Y-yes." he sputters
"Good boy." she kisses his temple and slowly, agonizingly traces the letters with her hips "A…L…A…S…T…O…R" she smirks once again.
Alastor lifts his head and sees the chain that bears his name hanging from her neck, moving along with her body, he follows the letters on the chain as she spells his name out loud. Unable to take the sensation anymore, he flips them so Voe is on her back. Alastor licks at her lips and she grants him access to the inside of her mouth. They kiss sloppily as he thrusts inside her slowly and forcefully, making her feel what he was feeling just a second ago. Still reeling from the stimulation, Alastor remains silent, saving his breath to be able to thrust and keep himself up. Voe, however, is quite vocal. Moan after moan she lets out, unable to contain herself.
"Yes…yes." She keeps whispering
His claws are digging into her thighs, adding new wounds to the old ones.
"Alastor," she calls out and he leans down to hear her "If I could, I would have your baby," she whispers to him. His eyes widen and his ears stand straight up as he immediately fills her with cum. An uncontrolled grunt slipped past his lips.
Voe laughs her ass off at this reaction, moans in between as she holds onto him, biting his ear.
They lazily got redressed after cleaning themselves up, Voe's shirt was wrinkled and half unbuttoned, while Alastor only bothered to pull up one of his suspenders, his sleeves were rolled up and he looked so much more casual than usual, he even left his monocle off. They both kept their shoes off, letting their toes and/or hooves free.
"You look awesome right now," Voe commented
Alastor turned to her with a cheeky close-lipped smile, as if he didn't hear what she'd said.
"I wish I could take a picture, but you hate being on cameras," she pouts
"Not all cameras, sweetie," he breathes out, still feeling the bliss of their previous activities
Voe tilts her head in intrigue as Alastor manifests a 1920s film camera and hands it to her. Voe turns it around in her fingers, examining it. She looks through the viewfinder and sets Alastor into the frame. She lowers it from her eye and looks at it some more.
"Wait, I don't know how this camera works!" She laughs, filling Alastor with joy.
He didn't enjoy it when they were upset with each other. If he had his choice, they would never argue again…well, at least not to the point where they wouldn't want to be around each other. The arguments themselves were pleasurable. He loved her laughter and her smile, he even thought it was more stunning than his own. Alastor reaches out and takes the camera from her, raising it to his eye and snapping a picture of her.
"Wait, did you just take a picture?" he nods "No fair! I didn't get to pose!"
Alastor grins and raises the camera back to his eye, Voe poses this time with one of her legs up and the other lying down as she leans on her arm. Alastor takes the picture.
"Hmm," he spoke under his breath
"What?"
"No wonder you're on billboards. You're very photogenic,"
Voe's smile shines brighter than the fireplace.
"Okay, so now let me take a picture of you," she snatched the camera back "Show me how to use it!" He positions her fingers on the apparatus "Okay, so I just press this?" he nods "Okay great, sit back down!"
She takes many pictures of him in various positions. It seemed like he didn't even try, he was just effortlessly gorgeous
"Ooh, that's a good one!" she told him
"Are they not all good ones?" he asked cheekily
Voe rolls her eyes "You know what I mean," she takes more
Alastor reaches over and takes the camera back "You've had enough, I want to take more of you,"
Voe smiles and poses in various ways for him, Alastor can't help but feel the same warmth in his chest. He was lost so far into his bliss that he didn't notice Voe staring at him, or listening when he exhaled
"What have you done to me?" but he doesn't sound regretful, he sounds as if he's admiring the spell she's cast on him.
Voe smiles with flattery as he continues to take her picture.
"It's not my fault you're like in love with me," she laughs, certain he wouldn't understand the reference
Alastor scoffs "I've never been in love with anyone,"
Voe blinks in disbelief "Really? Never?" he snaps another
He shakes his head "Never,"
"How old are you?"
Alastor waves her off "I don't even know anymore, somewhere between 30 and 40?"
She laughs "Really? And you've never fallen in love?"
He shakes his head lowering the camera.
"Why?"
He turns to face her "I have never felt the desire to. I've met many women, and even when they pique my interest I've never desired anything from them. Not a courtship, much less sexual relations,"
"Wait, are you like gay?"
Alastor scrunches his brows "Absolutely not! I have never felt that for any men either!"
"What about me?"
"What about you?"
"We've had sex,"
Alastor Frog blinks "Yes, and?"
"You don't desire that from me?"
"I quite enjoy your company,"
Voe strolls around the room, lost in thought. Alastor's eyes followed her, growing frustrated at the lack of attention he was getting from her. He slams his cane on the ground, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looks back at him and inhales, preparing to say something.
"It sounds like you," she paused "are AroAce." Alastor tilts his head to the side in confusion "Aromantic asexual." He still does not understand "Okay, sit down."
He sits down with a twirl of his cane. "Aromantic means that you do not or very rarely experience romantic attraction. And asexual means the same thing, but for sexual attraction."
"And how do I know this applies to me?"
"Have you ever felt romantic attraction?"
"No, but that's because I have more important things to take care of."
She rolls her eyes "Okay, but never? Romantic attraction doesn't abide by logic."
"No. Never."
"And sexual attraction?"
"I have been enjoying your company." He blinks at her
"But would you want my 'company' if it weren't mating season?"
He thinks "No. Well, maybe."
"Okay, well why did you choose me?"
"Because it made the most sense."
"Okay great! It's because it works out to you, logically?"
"Well…yes."
"So it's not because you find me personally attractive?"
He tilts his head "I find you attractive."
Voe shuts her eyes "Yes, but are you sexually attracted to me?"
"I don't understand what you're asking me. I find you attractive and we have been sexually active."
"Yes, I know, but when you met me…did you have the thought or desire to have sex with me?"
"No."
"Did you develop that thought or desire before October?"
"No."
"And when you did develop that thought, was it because of anything about me specifically? Like were you thinking, 'She specifically is so hot. I wanna fuck her?"
"Do people think that about other people?"
"Yes! I thought that about you!"
"Oh," he seems shocked and flattered "Well, no."
"And are you romantically attracted to me?"
He's taken aback by the question "What?"
"Like did you think of or desire to start a relationship with me at any point before this moment?" She is asking for an admission of fact, not a declaration of feelings.
"No."
"But you care about me?"
He thought twice before answering the question "Yes."
"What exactly do you feel for me?" She asked bluntly
He remained quiet for a long moment. Alastor wasn't sure how to answer that question, and not knowing things made him very uncomfortable.
"I suppose I'm unsure my dear."
"Try and describe it. Like you don't love me right? Do you see me as your friend?"
"Well-" he stopped himself to think more "No."
"Okay, so you see me as more than a friend. But not as a lover?"
Alastor's head was buzzing with all these questions. He'd never really had to think about what he felt about another person, mostly because he hadn't felt strong feelings for another person like this before Voe. She was more to him than anyone else in Hell, but he couldn't put his finger on it, it was driving him up the wall.
"I am not sure that I like this conversation very much."
Voe could sense him getting frustrated. These things were hard to understand, especially for a man like him who was from a time when the only thing you were allowed to be was heterosexual.
"It's okay," she kneels before him, gracing his hands in hers "What do you feel for me? Just tell me. In your own words."
Alastor inhaled, calmed by her gentle hands on his tight ones. Her thumbs carefully glided over his knuckles.
"I feel…" A red tint crawled up his face as he turned away
"Hey," she whispered, "It's just me." Her wide eyes shone brightly in the darkroom "I want to help you understand, but you have to help me understand first okay? I promise it's just you and me. And that's how it will stay" She gives him a reassuring smile and he exhales again.
"I feel like I want you around all the time. It's not romantic, but it's not just friendly either. I love looking at your face like it's a painting in a museum. I love hearing you speak like you're my favorite jazz record. Sometimes, I find myself missing you when you're not around. I want to touch your skin, hug you, and brush against your hand. I want to run my fingers through your hair. I want to protect you because I can't bear the thought of losing you." As he confessed his feelings, his cheeks turned red, and Voe was taken aback and flattered at the same time. She had received many compliments before, but these felt particularly meaningful and rewarding.
"Okay," she stood up and pushed her hair back. "So you can identify as an aromantic asexual."
"Can it be fixed?" he asked, looking up at her in a role reversal that felt strange but comforting.
"No," she replied as she sat beside him, "because you're not broken."
Those words caused his eyes to widen in disbelief. His brain struggled to process the idea that he didn't need to be "fixed." The words bounced around in his head, and he didn't react physically, completely unaware of what he looked like on the outside. It was as if he was short-circuiting. Voe gripped his shoulders and snapped him back to reality.
"What does that mean about the two of us?"
She looks up at him "Nothing. We're two demons enjoying each other's presence. Nothing has to change unless you want it to."
They don't speak for a few moments.
"I think I know why I'm not afraid of you," she spoke softly, leaning on Alastor's chest as they sat in the dark room.
"And just why is that?" His chin rested on her forehead, raising an eyebrow.
"Because I see you," she said. "I see past your showy flashes of power and your need to be larger than life. I don't know why, but I just see you as a man. I mean, how many people have said 'I think the Radio Demon is a cutie'? Exactly. No one. But I do. I think you're cute and soft and squishy," she squeezed him a little. "Because I see you. I don't know if that bothers you or not."
She pressed her hand on his chest, but he didn't respond. He was scared of his thoughts because the truth was that it didn't bother him at all.
"And by the way," he looked down at her once more "You can have romantic feelings without romantic attraction,"
Once the clock struck midnight, Voe's phone vibrated on the end table and lit up in the darkness. The light cut through her sleep mask, illuminating an entire half of the room. Voe reaches for her phone blindly, sitting up once it's in her hands. She lifts her eye mask to read the name of the sender.
Vox.
Voe looks over her shoulder at Alastor on the other side of the bed, knocked out cold, ears twitching. She does her best to be silent as she opens the message and reads:
Hey gal pal! What's new? 😉
Voe rolls her eyes. She looks back at Alastor sleeping so soundly. He looked so sweet, as he breathed in and out letting out a soft fawn squeak. She turns back to her phone smiling to herself.
Nothing.
Voe stares at her phone in anticipation, waiting as the typing bubbles pulse on the screen. Finally, Vox sends his reply.
And that was it. Her heart sank into her stomach. She sat staring at the phone, waiting for something, anything to let her know what that meant, but nothing came. She laid her phone face down on the nightstand, lowered her eye mask, and scooched toward Alastor's tall frame, putting her cheek against his cheek and spooning him from behind. Whatever happened next, would be worth it or this.
Voe was tense for the entire morning and afternoon. Checking her phone every second, imagining it vibrating when it wasn't, checking it over and over again expecting to see some correspondence from Vox or Velvette, maybe even from Valentino, but again there was nothing. When Voe was still checking her phone at around 11 AM that's when it was plucked from her fingers by sharp red ones. Her head darted up toward the thief and of course, it was Alastor.
"Your eyes have been glued to this tiny picture box all morning, my dear. It's beginning to get annoying," he commented, holding the phone as if it were revolting to him "Why don't we send that somewhere you can't reach it," and it disappeared with a clap of his hands
"Hey! Give it back,"
Alastor touches his chin "No, I don't think I will, technology rots the brain, my dear. Keep your eyes on something valuable, like me," his grin widens when he looks at her
Voe relaxes a bit "Sounds like you're jealous of a smartphone," she smirks
"Anything that takes your attention away from me is bound to spur jealousy, darling,"
She plays along "Well, that makes sense, my attention is precious and hard to come by. So it's quite special,"
"We definitely agree there," he pulls her by her hips, and her anxiety and tension melt away once his hands make contact with her body
By late afternoon she had completely forgotten about her phone and Vox as Alastor held her attention. Telling corny jokes and puns that had her laughing her ass off. His grin touched his ears as he watched her doubling over with laughter.
"Okay okay, it's only funny because it's stupid,"
"Nope! It's funny because it's funny!" he folds his hands over his knees, snickering himself
She snorts with laughter, covering her mouth and nose, and she turns away to hide her blushing face.
Alastor's eyes widen at the sound "What was that?" he asks with a shit-eating grin, but Voe can't stop herself from laughing long enough to answer, she snorts again in an attempt to answer. Alastor finds an immense amount of joy at this reaction, just watching her taken over by laughter.
By early evening, Angel could be heard in the parlor groaning about a lack of TV options.
"There's fucking on!" he yells flipping through the channels, he lands on Vox 2-Nite "I guess I can watch this," he chuckles "Maybe he'll have another breakdown," Angel mocks Vox's voice "Now that's good television!" and cackles to himself
Voe and Alastor enter the front area, and her ears pick up on the programming, she leaps over to Angel on the couch.
"What's that Angel?" she hangs over the back of the couch
"Vox 2-Nite," he leans back, draping his arm over the back of the couch
Voe's head snaps up towards the screen "What?!"
"Vox 2-Nite!" he says slightly louder and annoyed
Voe rushes over to the front of the couch to reach for the remote, but Angel is faster.
"Uh, yoink! Relax, wait your turn,"
"I don't think you wanna watch something like this, it's super boring, I've been there while they filmed it,"
Angel raises his eyebrow, convinced she's gone mad "Uh, I'm watching it," he puts the remote on the other side of him
Voe sits, her fingers tapping nervously on the edge of the couch. She'd had a great day, maybe Vox wouldn't do anything? He seemed to take it pretty well when she texted him this morning. All the tension that disappeared with Alastor's touch, all came rushing back now. It was in her veins, running through her bloodstream. She couldn't find a way to sit still, her hands, legs, feet, and even toes wriggled. Her heart was palpitating like it was about to burst and her ears were twitching, as if picking up sound from every direction.
"You sure you don't wanna watch something else, Angel?"
He pushes her off the couch by her face "Shush!"
She sits up on the floor, feeling the sweat roll down her face and her legs onto the floor. She turns to the TV screen.
"Thank you, Celia, for telling us about your wonderful magazine cover, really great," Vox shoves the woman off-camera, and a loud crash is heard along with a scream. He sits back down at his desk. "Now let's actually talk about something important. Tonight's very special segment is about my friend, the Radion Demon." He wiggles his fingers "Hi Alastor,"
"I really think you should change the channel," Voe pleads from on the floor
"Geez, what's gotten into you?" he looks down at her, amused
She pulls her hands together "Angel please!" she begs
"Now I definitely wanna watch it!" Angel runs his tongue over his teeth, then turns the TV up
"My dear people, I want you all to know that our friend Alastor is not the scary Overlord that you all know and fear. He's actually one of the biggest softies that has ever graced Hell!"
Voe's eyes could not leave the screen no matter how hard she tried to look away.
"First and foremost, Alastor…you miss your mommy? Hard to believe she misses you, Heavenly lady like that? She's probably glad to be rid of you! So it's okay. You don't have to feel like an 'abomination', since all of Hell and Heaven, including your mom, agrees! Or was it your dad?" Vox shrugs "Maybe both!" The crowd laughs and Vox clutches as he laughs heartily "Woo! Anyway, no seriously Alastor, is that why you got your ass kicked by Adam? Thinking too much about your Mommy? Wish she could come to kiss your boo boo?" Vox drags his finger diagonally across his chest to mimic Alastor's scar "Or did your little doe do that for you? That's right sinners, the Radio Demon is dizzy with a dame! Too bad she doesn't love you back!" Vox laughs uncontrollably with the crowd, kicking his long legs in the air. "I wouldn't love someone who stole my panties either!" The crowd erupts in 'Oohs' "'Ooh' is right! You would not believe that he actually got into her pants! I guess the Radio Demon is on a roll!" he leans forward on his desk "But it seems like she wears the pants anyway, someone finally got the Radio Demon to shut up! Who'dve thought some measly doe, would have the Radio Demon whipped?! Guess you needed a new Mommy, since apparently you don't know how to brush your teeth! Didn't realize the mommy issues were that bad! Do you cook for her? Do you clean for her? Do you bathe her? Wait wait, or does she bathe you?! Or maybe not, 'cuz that is why you wanted to do radio right? So nobody would have to look at you?"
The crowd bursts into laughter. Vox hits his desk with his fist.
"Do you get down on your knees and massage her feet? Hmm? Geez Al, just say you want a new Mommy! Don't fall in love with her! Gosh!"
"Aw damn," Angel whispers, slowly turning up the volume again. Cherri Bomb plops down next to him
"Aw shit," she says
Vox chuckles some more, wiping a tear from his eyes "Honestly Alastor, you're such a character. I thought you were boring, but you've got moves don't you? Like, on the dance floor! You like to boogie?! Show us those moves Alastor. Show us how Old Timey pricks get down!" he gets up and pretends to dance, making the crowd laugh "Honestly, I'm glad you learned to brush your teeth because dipping someone and breathing on their face is pretty weird…what? Are you gonna hide away again for another 7 years? Hmm? Seriously, what were you doing in all that time? Was that like a business trip? Or did depression take hold of you? Maybe let it next time! Seriously, kill yourself, we do NOT want you around. Seriously," Vox's smile falls, then perks back up
The entire parlor is full of demons watching and listening. Voe clutches her knees thankful that it was finally over, and that he hadn't mentioned her at all, so maybe she could come up with some story that someone had bugged them or overheard-
"Honestly before I leave you all tonight, I'd like to give a special thanks to Hell's greatest influencer, Voe the Beau. We couldn't have done it without you Voe…welcome to the team!" Vox's grin turns maniacal. The crowd gasps "Now I know, Voe is everyone's favorite influencer and you're all thinking 'she wouldn't do that', well as this generation says 'I have receipts'," Vox displays the texts between her and Velvette on the screen.
Voe cannot handle the idea of being perceived at this moment. She tugs at her ears and rocks back and forth on the ground, every sound around her replaced with a loud ringing. Suddenly her clothes were too tight, the floor was too hard, and she felt a fist in her stomach. Her flesh and bones feel like they're about to burst out of her skin.
"So Voe, thanks. Really, thumbs up," he puts up his thumb to the camera "That's all for Vox 2-Nite! Play me out guys!" an offscreen band starts playing swing music to the credits before Angel blankly turns it off.
"Okay, I turned it off…." Angel looks around the room "Imma go,"
"Yup, me too!" Cherri hops off the couch
"Niffty come on!"
Niffty looks confused "Where we going?"
"Your favorite place!" Angel scoops her up
"Where's that?"
"I'll show ya!"
Husk grabs three bottles from the bar, running after them "Wait for me!"
"Let's go, Charlie," Vaggie grabs her girlfriend and flies up the stairs as the other residents disperse
It gets quiet and the ringing in Voe's ears finally stops. She sits on the floor for a bit longer, trying to steady her breathing. She hears the click of dress shoes approaching her, and a black hand with red fingers enter her field of vision as she continues to stare at her feet. She stares up and Alastor, his hand calmly outstretched. She takes it and stands, her face is red and she tries to keep down tears as she wipes off her dress. She avoids his gaze, holding her arm, and smiling nervously.
"Unlock this," his voice is monotonous, free of filter and pizazz
She glances toward him and sees her phone in his fingers. She looks away again "You know he's lying right?"
"Vera," the way he spoke her name no longer had the same charm or luster. It was cold and distant. It was dead.
She doesn't respond, still looking away from him.
"Vera, unlock this phone."
"No," she says quietly
He is quiet for a moment "You do know what you saying 'no' means right?"
She still won't look at him, her heart beating so hard and fast she was sure he could hear it.
"You know what I hate more than liars? Cowards," he spits "You're a coward"
Voe couldn't stand to hear him speak to her this way, she couldn't believe this was the same man who spoke her praises only the day before. The same hands that held her gently, and the same lips that kissed hers softly so many times before.
"He did say things that weren't true," she mumbled
Alastor's eyes widen "Well! Tell me the untrue things that he said! Please! Enlighten me!"
"Well-"
"I was being sarcastic. I don't give a fuck about your excuses!" his volume increases "You're so certain that he's lying that you're not even looking at me! That's how certain you are!"
She slowly turns her head up to face him, being met with his cold furious eyes. Eyes that she had never been on the receiving end of. It made her shiver, for the first time, in fear.
"I didn't know he was going to do that," her eyes darting around everywhere but his gaze
"And what did you think they wanted the information for? To gossip at tea? Did you not think to ask why they wanted this information?"
Voe ignores this question, as she is ashamed that her answer was no. "I don't know,"
"I warned you…I warned you about this…and you chose not to listen. You chose to spit in my face, after all the things I've done for you,"
"You owe a favor," she blurts out
Alastor raises an eyebrow in disbelief "Are you serious?"
"Yes,"
He scoffs "Oh my goodness what?"
"You let me explain myself,"
Alastor places his arms behind his back in controlled rage as he stands there in silence, giving her room to speak.
Voe swallows before opening her mouth "I didn't know you. And I didn't they wanted to do that to you, yes I didn't ask but I also didn't know your history with them. And then after you told me that fake stuff to tell Vox, I thought it was just like a joke. I didn't know any of the backstory, I didn't know anything! I didn't know…you."
"I told you that, because I didn't trust you. And I was right,"
"Once I knew you I stopped,"
Alastor groans "The 'once I knew you' bullshit. You didn't know me but decided to bother me for weeks, and I could have killed you at any point in time, but I didn't. Because I didn't know you, and I wanted to."
"I didn't tell them the worst of it! That's why he did this! That's why Vox did all of this! Because I chose to stop giving him information, because…I care about you," her voice gradually fades out
"You don't care about me," he states this coolly
"That's not true! I do! Now…"
He is quiet for a moment, neither of them daring to speak.
"So this is what you meant when you said you like to 'collect facts'?"
"No! Not at all!"
"Seems like you care more about being famous than me,"
Voe balls up her fists "In the beginning, yes! But not now! I was doing it because I had to. Velvette owns me, she owns my soul! I can't not do what she says!"
Alastor chuckles dryly "So you wouldn't give your soul to me, but y̷o̶u̷'̴d̴ ̸g̵i̵v̶e̵ ̴i̷t̸ ̶t̷o̶ ̶t̸h̴e̷m̸?̴" His filter glitching as his rage increases
Her mouth goes dry "I gave it to get something in return, you refused to tell me what you wanted it for. And I had already signed the contract when you asked…"
"Hmm. Did Velvette ever tell you what she wanted your soul for?" He tilts his head "Or did she dangle a carrot in front of you and you agreed without asking questions? Is that a trend with you?
N̸̛̛̰̝͍̮̠̏̄̌͜͝ͅo̸̧̡̟̫̗̟̞̪̲̞̹̘̒̈́̌̎͗̈́ͅt̷̢̮͇̞̬̲̞̊̃̐̉̓̏̿͝ ̸̡̫͕̦̦͙̟̙̩̱̙̬̫͚̎̄ą̴̡͍̹̦͔͈̟͚̦͈̅͜s̵̨̥̥̠̮̻̮̈́ͅͅk̷̛̛̞̜͑͐̀̉͑̇̃̈́̚̚ͅi̶̫̥̽̈̆n̶̢̰̙͖̤̲͓͇̻̟̪̫̺̒̂̄g̸͓̟͖͈̹͇̲̾͒́̓̅̍͆͠ ̷̨̢̜̤̟̺̣̗̼̝̹̪̦͍̉̌̄͘q̷̧̡̝̻̳͕̰̈́ụ̸̓̈̍̓̑̿̿́͘̚͝ę̵̥̱̭̤̥͔̺͔̎̓̑̍́͋̌̏̅̕͝s̸͉̖͐̂̒̾͌̂̍̐̾̓̿̂̊ͅt̴͇͔͇̘̞́̂̐͗̕͜ͅį̶̨͇͍̗̫̦͆̐̃̿̅̌o̶̬̞͖̤̱̥̯͖̖̫̿̀͑̔̑͜͝͝n̷̡̡̠̺̝̹̱̩͚̪̖̖̐̒̂ș̶͍̰͉̺͍̫̞̝͙̘̍͋͆̇̆͂̀͗̀͑̀͑͘̕?̵̢̨̤̙͈͙̗͖͉͇̲͚̇̏̕͜ͅ" Alastor slowly begins morphing into his full demon form
Tears begin to fall from Voe's eyes"You don't understand! This was a chance to make my dreams come true! To show that I'm important! A chance to prove that my existence is worth something!" her desperate pleas fall to deaf ears
"Î̷̧̦ ̶̗̻͕͒Ŵ̴̢̲͕̑O̸͇̠͑̆̍U̸̪͌̾͘L̴̝̹̙͐̚͝D̸̢̊ ̵̮͕͇͆͛M̷̯̆͗A̶̱̲̋͋̊K̴̻̦̠̅̇É̶̹̮̆ ̷̖͎̜̀Ÿ̵̟́̿O̵̟͋͒̄Ṳ̵̩͊̆́R̴̳͎̀ ̸̮̆́D̸̫̜̟͂̔R̸̰̉Ḛ̵͂̎Ȧ̵͉M̴̖̲̥͑S̴̛̳̄͗ ̴̩͗͒͌C̵͕̬̯̄̍O̸̤͔͔͗M̶̰͔̣̿̄͝E̸̮̓̄ ̷͚͖̒̈́͜T̷̢͕͙̕R̴̤̓͠ͅŪ̴̩͝E̴͔̺̙͌͘!̶͉͕͒ ̸̡̧͗Ḯ̷̘̍ ̵̥̘̦̈́Ẅ̷̩́̑̚O̵̱̺͌̓̒U̶̙͋̕Ḽ̴̳͖̌̚D̶̺̤̏̈́͒'̶̺̱̫͋V̶͔͉̝̌́́Ē̸̞̣̭̿͠ ̵͉̕D̴̢͔̺̐͑͘O̸̹̯̥̐Ń̷̪͕̾͜Ẹ̶̤͉̍̌ ̴̛̘͚́̑A̴͉̥̻͗̍̍N̵̡̦̊̄Ỳ̴̨͆͗T̶̘̲͋H̴̺̤̋̇͝I̶̧̓̌́N̴͈͎͝G̴͙̗̹̾̓͠ ̷̬̄̈̃F̵̨̖̅͝Ȏ̵͇̰̩̑̈́R̵͈̎̀ ̵͈̹̏̎̀͜Y̷͍̺̏̓O̵̡̝͎͌̆Ủ̸͈!̴̘͕̉̉Y̶̗͎̰͐O̸̜̹͓̐͆Ủ̸̗̑R̶̬͔̒̈́ ̷̰̿̅̚Ē̸̩͑͠ͅX̷̩̊͌̀I̴̥̎̑́S̷̨̓̾͘T̵̤̾͂E̴̓ͅN̵͉̋͂̐C̸̙͕̑Ë̵̡́̌ ̷͔̌M̸̡͎̚͝A̷̛̫̒ͅT̵̛̰̃̈́Ţ̸̝͔̏E̵̬͐̎͝R̵͖̩͒Š̷̩͖̤͝ ̵̟̽͛͋ͅT̷͙́O̶͊̅ͅ ̸͔̿́̃M̴̭͐͊È̸̯̳͌͘!̴̧̫̻͐͘̕!̷͖́̔" He shakes his head to calm himself back down, but only slightly "At least, it used to. I don't even know why I decided to trust you. You told me upfront who you were. You have a 'tendency' to ruin people's lives! Are you sure it's not a hobby? Finding powerful men and tearing them down?!"
"That's not what I was doing to you!" Her voice cracks trying to make herself heard
"Ì̷͍ ̴̖́D̵̦͠Ỏ̸̜N̶̟͆'̷̩́Ť̴̡ ̷͉̏W̴̢̕Á̶͜N̵̥̉T̴̤̍ ̷̨͊T̶͉̋Ò̴̙ ̵̫̒H̶̼̅Ȅ̸̲A̶̛͕R̶͈̿ ̷̭͂A̶̭͗ ̸̢́W̷̯̓O̴̗̊R̷̼̍D̸͇̑ ̴̞͊Y̸̧͒O̸̜͌U̸̩͝ ̴͓̂H̷̓ͅÁ̶͈V̷̜͠È̷̻ ̶̧͛T̶͇̑O̸̦̓ ̷̯͒S̶̹̚Ä̶̡́Ÿ̶̬!" he takes his giant claws, grabbing her by the middle and launching her out the hotel doors. The impact knocked the air out of her lungs, pain in her back and legs, she lay on the ground feeling like the piles of dirt around her were the only things that she was worthy of, and let her tears fall along with the acid rain in the sky.