Previously: "Let the games begin." With that the Radio Demon disappeared the way he came in, only with less flare. But his annoying ass laugh could be heard as it echoed around the Living Room. Lumina runs a hand of hers through her short hair, a defeat coming from her.
"What the fuck did I do to myself?"
Chapter 4: The Plus One
Lumina stood in her kitchen, the noonday sun casting a warm glow through the windows as she absentmindedly mixed an empty bowl, wooden spoon in right hand, her thoughts consumed by the events of the previous day. The reality of her situation was still sinking in, the shattered remnants of her coffee table serving as a tangible reminder that demons were indeed real, and she had just made a deal with one. Her mind raced with doubts and suspicions.
Could she trust Alastor? Demons were known for their cunning and deceitful nature, and Alastor seemed like the kind of demon to just do shit for the fuck of it, he was playing a twisted game with her life.
The short brunette kept her guard up, her brown eyes darting around the room as she remained on high alert, half-expecting Alastor to make another dramatic entrance at any moment. The sudden ring of the doorbell jolted her from her thoughts.
"Ahhhhh!" Her heart leapt into her throat from the sound, dropping the bowl and brandishing the wooden spoon in a shaky hold. Though she calmed herself down as she quickly realized that it was just one of her friends. Lonnie was coming over to help out with decorating her place for the party, so Lumina was so damn glad it was her. Upon opening the door Lumina was quickly grabbed up in a tight hug.
"Yooooo girl! It's so great to see you again!" Lonnie exclaimed, her enthusiasm infectious as Lumina gave a breathless gasp at the affection.
"Lonnie, it's great to see you too!" Lumina replied, her voice tinged with genuine relief and happiness as she hugged her friend back.
Missing her contact ..honestly, she was forced to drop all her friends because her mother wanted her to interact with "wunderkind" kids and teen actors when she started developing. And Lumina did fight against that, she did, with them being the only people who like her just for her and not her fame or because she's weird…she was attached to them. But she was heavily reprimanded and feared that she would get it again so she did as told.
She always did as told, kept her safe. Despite the constant put downs.
Lumina's heart swelled with the familiar warmth of their bond, cutting through the lingering dread that had settled in the pit of her stomach. Even with her reservations, and the shadow of Alastor practically hanging over her, she was grateful for this moment of normalcy, for the chance to reconnect with someone who had always been there for her. As Lonnie stepped inside, her arms laden with bags of decorations and supplies, Lumina felt a brief respite from the chaos that had engulfed her life. For now, she chose to set aside her fears and doubts, choosing instead to focus on the task at hand: decorating her new apartment and preparing for the housewarming party that her friends were throwing for her. She wouldn't be able to tell anyone anyway, she even wanted to be careful of intimating it.
The short brunette moved around her kitchen with practiced ease, her hands deftly chopping, stirring, and seasoning as she whipped up a meatloaf. Cooking had always been a passion of hers, a skill she had honed under the guidance of her beloved grandfather. With a natural flair and an intuitive understanding of flavors, Lumina had a knack for knowing exactly what a dish needed to reach its full potential. She was also making her grandma's beignets, a recipe stored forever in her mind too. In the other rooms of the apartment, Lonnie worked her magic, transforming the place with a keen eye for design and aesthetics. Fabrics, lights, and decorations were meticulously arranged, each piece carefully chosen to create the perfect ambiance for the upcoming housewarming party.
As they worked, the atmosphere was filled with the comforting sounds of sizzling pans, bubbling pots, and cheerful chatter. The tension that had hung in the air earlier seemed to dissipate, replaced by a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.
"Hey, remember that time we convinced Tommy he had a magic bottle of ketchup?" Lumina asked with a mischievous grin, her eyes twinkling with mirth as she recalled their preteen antics.
Lonnie laughed, shaking her head as she remembered their youthful pranks and fun moments. "Oh, that was hilarious! And remember that epic treehouse we built in the woods? Those were the days, pretending to be pirates 'n shit?"
Lumina laughs at that, as she checks on the meatloaf and flips the beignets that are puffing up in the hot oil. "Yeah, and remember our senior prank? Principal Dunhan's office was filled with rubber ducks and he was so pissed!" Lumina added, laughing at the memory of their duck-filled misadventure.
As the afternoon wore on, the apartment began to take shape, reflecting both Lumina's culinary prowess and Lonnie's design expertise. And as they put the finishing touches on their preparations, Lumina couldn't help but feel her unease and worry melt away.
If her best friend was enough to calm her mind she couldn't wait for everyone else to get here.
"Thanks for being here, Lonnie," Lumina said, her voice tinged with emotion as she looked around the living room, decorated with balloons, a banner that said "Make this house a home" She really wanted to cross out "house" and write "apartment" above it, but she loved it either way. She was pretty taken with the streamers, the gal always had a love for those things, they tasted weird though. "I really needed a friend today.."
Lonnie smiled, wrapping an arm around Lumina's shoulders as she hugged her friend close. "Anytime, Lumina. We've got each other's backs, always have, always will."
In the bustling chaos of the Hazbin Hotel's usual routine, Nifty diligently went about her cleaning duties and doing away with pests in her usual psychotic ways, while Husk manned the bar with his usual grumpy demeanor. Vaggie kept a watchful eye over the hotel, ensuring its safety, while Charlie was out with her Father today, he insisted that they have Father Daughter time every once in a while. Angel Dust lounged in the communal living room, lazily petting his pet pig, Fat Nuggets, as he lounged on the couch. Meanwhile, Alastor, who just returned from his usual outting in the streets of Hell, his presence casting a subtle ripple through the familiar surroundings. Alastor made his way to the bar, his signature grin etched upon his face as he settled into his usual spot.
Husk couldn't help but notice that something seemed off about Alastor, even more so than usual. He had been absent for the past five days, a rarity for the radio demon (at least nowadays) who was typically a constant presence in the Hotel. Despite his deep-seated animosity towards Alastor, Husk decided to put aside his grievances and ask.
"Hey, Al, you've been gone for a while," Husk remarked, his tone guarded as he poured Alastor his usual drink. "Everything alright?"
Alastor chuckled softly, swirling the drink in his glass as he regarded Husk with a knowing glint in his eyes. "Oh, just a little trip to the living realm," Alastor replied casually, his voice tinged with amusement. "Got myself into a little deal with a human."
Husk's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "The living realm?! How'd you manage that?"
Alastor smirked, taking a sip of his drink before continuing. "Well, it seems this young lady fixed up an old summoning radio, unwittingly summoning yours truly. She's quite the character. Feisty, resilient, a real firecracker. Before striking our little deal, I may have had a bit of fun with her for a few days. You know, just to keep things interesting."
Husk's expression darkened as he processed Alastor's words. He may not have known this woman personally, of course, but the thought of her being manipulated by Alastor filled him with a sense of sympathy. But that's why he was gone in the first place, been a little slice of heaven without his constant presence, and now this woman has to deal with him too.
That's messed up, Al," Husk muttered, his voice laced with disapproval.
Alastor shrugged nonchalantly, his grin widening at Husk's reaction. "Oh, lighten up, Husker. It's all in good fun, isn't it?"
Husk scowled, shaking his head in disbelief. "Fun for you, maybe. But I doubt she's having a good time, …but should be careful with her, humans can only take so much."
Alastor's eyes sparkled with mischief as he leaned closer to Husk, his grin widening. "Well, you've given me an idea, Husker. I think I'll pay our little fawn a visit today. Keep her on her toes, you know?"
Husk's eyes widened in alarm. "I didn't give you that idea!"
But Alastor simply chuckled, raising his glass in a mock toast. "Ah, but you did, my dear Husker. And for that, I thank you."
Husk sighed in resignation, knowing that arguing with Alastor was futile. He could only hope that whoever this woman is, she would be able to handle whatever twisted games the radio demon had in store for her.
Lumina carefully lifted a batch of beignets out of the hot oil, their golden-brown exteriors glistening enticingly. Just as she was placing them on a plate, Lonnie returned from the bathroom, a curious expression on her face.
"Do you have someone over?" Lonnie asked with a playful smirk, her ears picking up on the faint sounds coming from Lumina's bedroom. Lumina raised an eyebrow, letting out an exaggerated "no" before turning her attention back to the stove where a pot bubbled away.
"I swear I heard someone in your bedroom," Lonnie teased, winking at Lumina. "Got a special friend over?"
Lumina scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Please, like I have time for that." She had put in a new batch of beignets in the oil, 3 servings would be enough.
"I kid, Lumi. I know you like your sex like you like your pistachios." Lonnie jokes, though Lumina not understanding her joke just says. "But I don't really like pistachios.."
Lonnie huffs awkwardly and goes onto another topic. "Did you get a pet then? A dog? Cat maybe?"
Lumina looks over to her again and raises an eyebrow. "No, I gotta wait for the ESA form to be officialized, you sure your implants aren't on the fritz?" She questions having her bestie pout playfully.
"Yes I'm sure!" She laughs, but Lumina rolls her eyes while patting her hands on her apron.
"Watch over these for a bit?" She asks before going to see what she's talking about, mostly hoping she didn't leave her window open and a pigeon flew in and was bumping into shit trying to escape.
Pushing open the door, her eyes widened in shock at the sight before her. There, standing by her drawing desk, was Alastor, his grin as wide as ever as he looked down at her when he stood up.
"You're pretty good at drawing, my dear," He remarked coyly, his deer tail twitching with amusement. A scream escaped Lumina's lips, echoing through the apartment. Alastor's smirk only widened at her terror. Hearing the scream, Lonnie's footsteps quickly approached, her voice filled with concern.
"Lumina, are you okay?!" Lumina slammed the bedroom door shut before Lonnie could reach her.
"Y-yes, I'm fine! I stepped on a…lego! Go back to the kitchen, please!" There was a brief pause before Lonnie's skeptical voice replied,
"Ouch, well alright, if you say so." Once she heard Lonnie's retreating footsteps, Lumina turned her glare towards Alastor.
"Now, now, my dear Lumina, no need for such theatrics." He chided, as her anger was boiling over. "What in the ever loving fuck are you doing here?"
Alastor chuckled, leaning on his microphone staff with a nonchalant air. "Have you forgotten our deal already?"
Lumina clenched her fists, struggling to contain her anger. "No. I just didn't expect you to come back so soon! I'm having a party tonight, so you can't be here!"
Alastor's grin widened at her outburst, his eyes gleaming threateningly. "I'd watch that temper of yours~ Remember, I have the upper hand at all times and as for your little party tonight, well, I wouldn't miss it for the world."
The short brunette tugged at her short hair. "You're so frustrating! I honestly prefer you through the Radio!" She whisper yells. Feigning hurt, Alastor placed a hand over his heart, his expression mockingly wounded. Lumina could feel her patience wearing thin, but she knew she had to tread carefully.
Lumina gritted her teeth, her mind racing as she tried to figure out how to handle the situation. She needed to tread carefully, to play his game without losing herself in the process. "Are you going to be popping in like this randomly?" She questions as she looks at him, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Hmm, possibly." Yeah…yeah he was going to do that.
Lumina scoffs. "I begin work again in like 3 days, so if you are going to be a right bastard and do this..you should at least disguise yourself as a human. If someone finds out you're a demon, I'm not getting the short end of the stick because you wanna be…this." She gestures her hand around talking about his demon form. Alastor seemed taken aback by her audacity, his expression shifted, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features before being replaced by a wicked grin.
"Well, aren't you full of surprises?" He remarked, his voice laced with amusement. "Very well, my dear. I'll play along... for now." With a flourish of demonic magic, he transformed into a human. Not as tall, a rather normal human height, possibly 6 feet. Black dress pants, white collared shirt, with suspenders. His staple black bowtie, a tanned skin complexion, and his style was the same but was a lightish brown color (correct me if I'm wrong). It was his original human form before his death, actually. But no one knew that… not in this era at least. "How's this for you?" She looks him up and down and nods.
"Acceptable." She was keeping herself stoic but she was surprised he actually did that.
"You look like a dry goods clerk from the 1920s."
About Lonnie: She's Lumina's age, they met in Middle School, along with all their other friends. She's Deaf, has cochlear implants and can hear sounds and the such, she reads lips most of the time, Lumina knows a bit of ASL. Lonnie's partner knows ASL completely.
Fun Fact: Lumina, Lonnie, and Lawrence are the main three best friends. Lonnie insists that they call each other "The Lees", which was the name of their pretend pirate crew.
Lumina has a hyper fixation on Alpacas and Ducks. Alpacas because her grandma would take her to farms that had them, and Ducks because she had a pet duck named Fernando.