" The name's Alastor, my dear! It's a pleasure to be meeting you! Quite the pleasure indeed." Alastor held out his hand to receive a handshake in greeting from Millie.
" U-uh...Um... I-I'm...Y-you're A-Alastor!?" Millie could barely get any coherent words out of her mouth.
"Yes! I believe that is what I said my dear. Are you perhaps hard of hearing? I would have expected that with how large your ears are!" Alastor jokes. He still had his hand held out for a proper handshake. " If you'd prefer, you could also call me th-"
" The Radio Demon! I looove your radio station. I listen to it every day." Millie gushed as she fangirled over the Radio Demon before she remembered where she was." Blushing, she ducked her head, trying and failing, to hide her embarrassment.
" U-uh, I-I mean I enjoy listening to the music you play on your station while I read...sometimes. A-ah, my name is Millie," she finally reached to shake his hand, " It's also a pleasure to meet you uh sir."
' Oh My Gosh! It's Alastor, the Radio Demon, in the flesh! I totally forgot that he helps with this hotel! And I acted like a moron in front of him. His hand is so big compared to mine. Wait, is my hand sweaty?! Oh Satan, I hope not.'
While Millie was having an inner monologue with herself, she continued to shake Alastor's hand. " Um Millie, I think you can let go of Alastor's hand now," Charlie chimed in, knocking the little mouse out of her thoughts.
" O-oh um, sorry about Mr. Alastor."
" Oh it's quite alright my dear! I'm excited to hear that you're such a big fan of my radio broadcast! Not many people appreciate good quality music these days. It's a shame really. And please call me Alastor," he retracted his hand and placed both behind his back. His eyes never left the timid little mouse as she took a few steps back from him. His ever present grin widened as he watched her shrink into herself, hands clenched by her side, and head bowed.
' Just when things were starting to get a bit boring, this little mouse shows up! She doesn't look like much, but she should provide me with some sort of entertainment.' Alastor thought to himself.
" U-um Charlie, if this is the end of the tour, I'd like to go ahead and have that one on one with Angel Dust. It's getting pretty late, and I don't want to have to walk home in the dark." Millie said, trying to avoid looking at the tall red figure standing in front of her.
" A lady such as yourself walking home alone at night?! Why, I'll have none of that! You run along and finish whatever business you have with our effeminate resident. And when you're done, I'd be more than happy to escort you home." Alastor exclaimed.
" U-um wow Alastor, that's really nice of you! But I don't think that'll be necessary. Vaggie and I can handle that," Charlie tried to persuade him. " As if we'd the likes of you anywhere near Millie, alone. You'd try to trick her into a deal," Vaggie growled.
Alastor's smile tightened at Vaggie's words, " I assure you ladies that I only have the most gentlemanly intentions. And Vagatha, would never do such a thing to some Charlie personally hired to help the hotel," he ushered the women out the empty library.
Using his microphone, he stopped Millie just as she was about to cross the threshold of the door, " Ms. Millie, I'll be waiting for you in the lobby. Please don't keep me waiting for too long," he grabbed her hand and brought it up to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back of it.
Millie felt a shiver run down her spine at the touch, and her face flushed a light pink.
They stood silently for a moment, his eyes locked with hers, and she felt herself melting under his gaze. Her heart thumped as Alastor gently released her hand.
" See you soon my dear," and was gone in a swirl of shadows.
Millie had never been kissed like that before. And while she did enjoy it, she also couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the way Alastor had kissed her hand.
She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but his eyes had seemed almost sinister as he'd done it. The thought of being alone with him again made her shudder, and she felt a sudden sense of dread. Was she safe around him, or was he just playing with her like a toy?
Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she hurried after Charlie and Vaggie. She could think about what that kiss meant later, right now she had a very tall spider to talk to.
Alastor had long grown tired of the dull routine of the hotel, the same faces and stories day in and day out. He craved novelty, something to surprise and excite him, and he thought he had found it in the form of an adorable little mouse named Millie.
He watched her be dragged on a tour by Hell's bubbly princess. Her reserved, shy demeanor was a sharp contrast to his more chaotic nature. She seemed to be soft-spoken and solitary, and he could see the potential for a bit of mischief in playing with her.
'Oh, this will be fun'
After that odd encounter with Alastor, Charlie and Vaggie ushered Millie into the front of the hotel near the check-in desk. " Well Millie, we'll leave you to it! I think Angel Dust is in the lounge. That's where he usually is when he's not in his room or harassing Husk," Vaggie rolled her eyes. There was a bit of fondness there though.
They gave her a wave and headed off up the stairs. Like Vaggie said, Millie found Angel Dust lounging on a couch, flipping through a magazine, and decided to approach him.
Taking a seat next to him, she nervously cleared her throat and asked, "Hey Angel, I'm here to talk about books you might like for the library. I promise it won't long," sits on the couch beside him with her notebook and pen in hand.
" Look toots, I ain't really got the time to be havin' my face in a book. No offense, but it ain't really my thing," putting down the magazine he was looking through. " Honestly, I'm more of a visual kind of guy... if you get what I mean." He winked at her.
" I know Charlie probably paid you a shit load for this little project so here's what we'll do. We'll sit here and pretend to chat and after a bit you can leave and I can get back to my magazine," he lounged back on the couch, " Charlie thinks you're talking to me, you get paid, and I get left alone. Everyone wins!"
Millie deflated at Angel Dust's dismissal. While she loved books, she also loved helping others find the books that they wanted or needed. She believed that there was a book out there for everyone. She just had to be creative. Looking down, she noticed that the magazine Angel was leafing through was about fashion. Millie's eyes widened as she saw the striking poses and colorful outfits. She leaned over and pointed to a picture of a model in a dazzling red dress.
"Hey, that one's gorgeous, don't you think?"
Angel Dust's expression softened a bit, and he looked thoughtfully at the red dress in the magazine image. He hesitated for a moment, his fingers tracing over the glossy page, before finally looking up at Millie with a slight smile.
"You know what? That dress is really catching my eye... You think it would suit me?"
Millie returned his soft smile with one of her own, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Of course, Angel! I can get stacks of fashion books and magazines for the library!"
Angel Dust was surprised by Millie's quick offer to add fashion magazines and books to the hotel library. He let out a chuckle, "Wow, you really are a bookworm, huh. I never seen anyone try this hard over a book. Tell ya what, since you're offerin', I'll take a look at 'em. I've been itching to try out some new styles, you know?"
Millie was dancing on the inside over her victory. She was actually surprised he took the bait! She might not have great people skills, but she was skilled at pairing a person with a good book.
" You know Angel, I actually have a new fashion magazine with me. It just came in at my shop. I guess I must have grabbed it when I was rushing to get ready to come here, haha," she gave a nervous laugh.
He leaned forward, his expression filled with curiosity. "Oh, really? You've got one right here? Well, if you're offerin', I'll take it!" Angel Dust shrugged and waited for her to hand over the magazine.
She reached into her bag and summoned her quill. Giving it a gentle stroke she was able to summon the latest fashion magazine. One that hadn't even been released on Earth yet.
Pretending to rummage through her bag looking for the magazine, she finally pulled it out. " Ah, you can consider this a gift for giving me a chance to change your mind about books and stuff," she mumbled, holding the magazine out for him to take.
Angel Dust's eyes widened as Millie offered to let him keep the fashion magazine as a token of gratitude for their conversation. He quickly snatched the book from her outstretched hand, his fingers tracing the glossy cover reverently as a genuine smile spread across his face. "You're a real sweetheart, toots. A bit of a softy, but thanks."
Millie could feel her cheeks warm with a blush. She hated how easily she blushed but there wasn't anything she could really do about it. Her ears twitched and her tail coiled around her, landing in her lap. She started to fiddle with it out of a nervous habit.
" Oh, you're w-welcome Angel. I-it's not that big a deal," she mumbled shyly.
Angel gave a playful smirk and reached his upper limbs out and cupped Millie's face. " Oh but it is a big deal! I'm so thankful for your gift. If only there was some way for my to return the favor," he raised one of his lower arms and dramatically placed it on his forehead.
" I know what I can do," giving her face a gentle caress he leaned in slowly. " Close your eyes toots and I'll you somethin' real special."
" A-ah, don't really n-need anything A-angel!"
" Oh come ooon, you'll hurt my feelings," Angel pouted.
" O-okay, just m-make it quick. I have to head home soon before it gets dark," Millie sighed in defeat.
" Good, now close your eyes," Angel grinned.
Millie was suspicious but did as he asked. Angel Dust leaned in and gave her a playful peck on the lips, his lips lingering on hers for a moment before he pulled away with a wide grin.
Millie's eyes flew open as Angel pulled away. She tried to speak, but her words caught in her throat and came out as a jumbled mess. "I, I-," she tried to say, but nothing coherent came out. Angel started to laugh. " Hahaha, that was too good," he clutched his stomach.
Millie's mouth clamped shut and she felt her eyes start to tear up. Angel's laughter tapered off, " Oh don't look at me like that, Mil. I was just showin' ya how much I love your gift!"
" T-t-t-that was m-my first k-kiss!" Millie whimpered. Angel Dust gently pulled her into a hug. " I kinda figured. You don't exactly give off an ' experienced' vibe, toots. But think of it this way, at least ya first kiss was with a professional and not with some schlub that would just slobber all over ya," he grinned.
Millie looked away from and pouted. Angel continued to hug her with his lower arms and began running his upper hands along her ears, " Aww, please forgive, Mil. Though I can't promise I won't do it again. Your reaction was priceless!"
Millie glanced at him and gave another defeated sigh, " I forgive you Angel," she paused and thought about what he said.
" WHAT DO YOU MEAN ' DO IT AGAIN?!'"
Angel Dust dissolved into a fit of laughter and soon Millie was joining him.
They both failed to see the red eyes gleaming in the shadows.