Note:
Two chapters in one weekend?! I'm on a roll! I actually had a totally different idea planned for how this chapter was going to go. But I'm happy with how it turned out. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. And like always, Comments are always appreciated!
Millie woke up the next morning feeling groggy and a bit confused. It took a moment for her to remember the events of the previous day. 'Ah, that's right,' she thought as memories of the party, meeting new friends, and Alastor's unexpected gift came rushing back to her. A smile gracing her lips at the thought of having genuine friends and she felt a flutter of excitement in her chest. Unable to contain her excitement, Millie let out a small squeal before vigorously kicking her feet under her blanket. The childish joy bubbled within her, making her unable to keep still. For a moment, she just relished in the feeling, feeling the happiness swell within her.
After a few more moments of letting her joy bubble to the surface, Millie pushed the blanket back and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. Her toes touched the floor, and she sat there for a moment, taking in the reality of the situation. She was in a peculiar hotel, surrounded by new friends, and Alastor, of all people, had given her a vintage radio to help her sleep...
'What a strange turn my life has taken', she thought, a mixture of wonder and trepidation swirling inside her. She got up from the bed and started to get ready for the day...well she would start getting ready after she unpacked. She was understandably too tired to deal with that last night.
With a sigh, she got started on the task at hand.
Finally unpacked, dressed, and refreshed for the day, Millie grabbed her work bag and made her way to the kitchen...
"I really should have paid more attention to the layout during that tour." Millie groaned. She had been wandering around for what felt like forever trying to find the blasted kitchen. "Ugh, why is this place so freaking big!" tugged at her hair in frustration. She just wanted to grab a quick breakfast before getting to work. She wandered a bit more before stopping in front of Charlie's office and from the sound of it, the princess was inside.
Giving a timid knock, Millie stood back and waited for Charlie to answer. She waited...and waited some more...
Okay, Millie knew she heard somebody in there. She knocked on the door again, this time a bit harder. After a moment, the door flew open, revealing a tired and frazzled looking princess. Dark circles were stamped under her eyes, and her hair, although usually neat, was disheveled and messy. It was clear that she was either woken up or had spent the entire night working. "Oh! Millie, it's you," she said, her voice a tad hoarse. "What can I do for you?" Surprise flickered across Charlie's face as she saw Millie standing there.
"Um, I was trying to find the kitchen for something to eat, but I kinda got lost. I recognized the door to your office and well..." Millie's voice tapered off.
Charlie's response was tinged with exhaustion, her weariness evident in her voice. The words came out in a tired rambling.
"Yes...the kitchen," she mumbled, her speech slightly slurred. "Lots of places and hallways in this hotel...easy to get lost. But kitchen...yes. Food. Hmm...hang on."
Millie, her voice full of concern, continued, "You really look like you need to rest. You... y-you look like you've been up all night. Maybe you should sit down for a moment or... or something? You don't look so good..."
Despite her groggy and weary state, Charlie insisted, her words spilling out in a frazzled, hurried tone. "I'm fine," she mumbled, her voice slightly slurred, "I can help you find the kitchen. It's no trouble...promise."
"Honest...don't worry about m-me...really. You need to rest. I can find the kitchen... I s-swear." Millie frantically waved her hands in front of her in a slight panic. She didn't want to inconvenience Charlie when she was clearly not up for anything besides a good long rest.
Right as Charlie was about to step out of the office into the hallway, Vaggie, appearing from inside the room, quickly placed a gentle hand on the princess's arm, guiding her back inside. The moth demon's tone was firm but affectionate.
"Charlie, honey, you need to rest," Vaggie said, steering her towards the couch the was positioned against one of the walls. "You're exhausted."
Vaggie gently helped Charlie to lie down. Once the princess was settled, Vaggie reached for a blanket nearby, and carefully draped it over her weary girlfriend. "You just lay here and rest," Vaggie instructed, her voice soft but firm. "You need to get some rest, sweetheart."
Charlie, still determined to work despite her exhaustion, tried to protest, mumbling something about creating new redemption lessons and trust falls. But her voice was growing weaker, and the fight against sleep was becoming more difficult.
Vaggie just shook her head fondly, gently hushing her girlfriend. "Hush now," she whispered, her voice soothing. "You can work on your redemption plans later. Right now, you need to sleep." She gave the princess a light kiss on her forehead.
Millie silently watched the tender scene unfold in front of her. She observed the way Vaggie cared for Charlie, gently guiding her to rest, and could help but find it endearing. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she watched the two.
By the time Vaggie had walked back to the door, the princess was fast asleep. Vaggie then quietly stepped out of Charlie's office, making sure to close the door behind her so as to not disturb her girlfriend's rest. Once in the hallway, Vaggie turned to Millie with a tired smile.
"Sorry about that," Vaggie said, her voice gentle but tinged with a slight weariness. She glanced back at Charlie through the closed door before returning her attention to Millie. "Charlie's been working herself to the bone lately. She really needs the rest."
Millie, her eyes widening slightly in surprise, exclaimed, "S-she didn't go to bed last night?" At Vaggie's confirmed nod, she couldn't help but feel a pang of concern.
"D-did...did she have a lot of work? I mean... s-shouldn't she have gone to b-bed after the p-party?" Millie asked. She felt a pang of guilt after seeing Charlie so exhausted and realizing the effort the princess had put into planning the party for her benefit, Her eyes took on a dejected expression as she spoke.
"I...I feel bad," she confessed, her voice soft and remorseful. "Charlie... she shouldn't have had to plan a party for me when she has so much work to do."
Vaggie chuckled understandingly and reassured Millie not to feel guilty. "Don't worry about it," Vaggie said, a fond smile on her face. "Charlie was determined to make your arrival a positive experience, and there was no stopping her once she set her mind to it. Trust me."
"Anyway, what was it that you needed before we got sidetracked?" Vaggie asked curiously. "Oh! I w-was trying to find the kitchen to g-get something to eat, but I got l-lost." Millie scratched at her cheek, sheepishly. "I g-guess I should have paid m-more attention on the t-tour."
"No worries," she said with a reassuring smile. "The layout can be a bit confusing if it's your first time here. But I'll show you the way to the kitchen." Millie murmured a grateful "Thank you." She followed closely behind Vaggie, relieved that the kind moth demon was willing to help her find the kitchen.
"No problem," Vaggie said while leading the way. "And if you ever need any help, feel free to ask. Everyone would be willing to help you out." She paused for a moment, "Well, almost everyone."
Millie gave a quiet giggle at Vaggie's words. She decided to ask a question that she had since seeing the princess almost dead on her feet moments ago. "Um, V-Vaggie...?" she began, her voice timid yet filled with genuine concern. "I was wondering, what is it that C-Charlie's been working on that's kept her up all night...?"
Vaggie glanced at Millie, "Well, you see," she said gently, "Charlie, she's been working on trying to come up with new ideas for redemption lessons and trust-building activities for the hotel." Vaggie continued, her voice tinged with a mixture of pride and concern. "She's very passionate about helping others, and she really wanted everything to be perfect for the party. But, well, as you can see, she tends to throw herself headfirst into things and never rests."
"She's dead set on proving that the hotel can work and that sinners can redeem themselves. She believes in giving everyone a chance to change for the better and go to Heaven." Vaggie's expression reflected her admiration for Charlie's unwavering determination. "That's why she's so excited that you're here and willing to work on the library. She believes that it would be a great way for guests to relax and maybe learn something new from the books." A tender smile graced her face, "It aligns perfectly with her vision for the hotel."
Millie's eyes widened as she listened to Vaggie's words, her heart swelling with awe. Hearing the pride and admiration in Vaggie's voice as she spoke of the hotel and library touched a chord deep within her. The realization of how much Charlie cared for this endeavor fueled Millie's own desire to contribute and make a positive impact on the project.
Millie, her voice filled with confidence and resolve, declared, "I promise I'll do my best. I won't let Charlie down." Her determination was evident in her eyes, reflecting the newfound sense of purpose she felt.
Vaggie gave a nod of understanding as they finally reached the kitchen. "Here we are, the kitchen!" she gestured to the room. Millie's gaze swept across the room, taking in the various appliances and supplies. Her stomach growled softly, reminding that she was still, indeed, hungry.
Millie blushed and thanked Vaggie for the help, looking away in embarrassment. Vaggie laughed lightly and told her it wasn't a problem and asked if she needed anything else. "N-no, I'm good, thank you!," Millie said. Vaggie waved goodbye and headed back towards Charlie's office.
Millie entered the kitchen and began looking through the cabinets to see what was inside. She was hoping to find some nice tea. She normally made herself a frappuccino but she had started really getting into tea lately. She liked trying the many different flavors and liked the fact that didn't make her feel too bad afterwards. She also loved the cute tea sets she would find on the few outings she would go on.
She rummaged through the cabinets until she found various tea boxes. Picking out her tea of choice, she turned to search for a kettle and a mug. She found the items and got the kettle ready to boil the water. While she waited, she sat at the counter and noticed a bowl of fruit. She grabbed a piece of fruit and started munching on the juicy piece of produce. She chewed and thought about the work she needed to get done today. She needed to see what happened with the books Alastor transported to the hotel a few days ago. Angel Dust took them to the library, if she remembered correctly. But she doubted that he organized and shelved them. Which was fine, that was part of her job after all.
She also needed to continue with her list of books to conjure. She thought about adding books that would help Charlie and Vaggie with running the hotel and the redemption project. 'Maybe some books on business management and hotel service, maybe?' She continued munching on her fruit, 'I should also see if anyone has borrowed any of the books and get their opinion. Now that I think about it, I never really got to ask Alastor if he had any books he wanted for the library.'
She blushed slightly as her thoughts turned to the dangerous but alluring radio demon. She sat up straighter at the line of thinking she was taking. 'Oh god! Am I falling into the bad boy/I can fix him trope?!' The kettle whistled, shaking her out of her thoughts. "Ugh, maybe I've been reading too many romance books." she said to herself, pouring her cup of tea. Returning to her seat at the counter, she sipped her tea in peace. Her mind definitely not returning to thoughts of a certain deer demon.
After a delightful cup of tea and a delicious piece of fruit, Millie made her way to the library. She couldn't remember where the kitchen was, but she could remember where the library was...typical bibliophile. 'Hey, it's part of my job to know where it is! I'm stocking it after all.' she reasoned with herself. It definitely wasn't because she put books before her basic needs and usually forgot to eat...nooo of course not!
Completely absorbed in her thoughts, Millie failed to notice the stealthy shadow discreetly trailing behind her. Alastor wanted to spend the day getting to the little mouse, trying to figure out ways he could get her to trust him. But sadly, he had his own affairs to attend to today, so sent his shadow to keep an eye on her instead. His shadow glided along the floors and walls making sure to stay behind Millie. It observed her every movement, its dark form lingering just out of her peripheral view. It followed her closely, monitoring her every step with unwavering attention. Alastor was confident that his shadow would gather excellent intel for him to exploit later on. He hummed to himself 'Ah, what a delightful day it's going to be!"
Millie made it to the library and stared at the books that were piled up haphazardly in a corner of the room. She felt her eye twitch in annoyance at the sight of the disorganization. Treating books in such a careless manner was unacceptable. Taking a deep breath, Millie calmed herself, "It's finance, everything's fine. At least I didn't have to lug the books all the way to the library." She walked over to the pile, "And besides, it is my job to handle the books anyway," she said to herself.
She started looking through and organizing the books into genres. She needed to decide how she was going to organize the shelves too. She'd get to that after she organized the books. While she picked through the stacks she was making, she noticed that some books were missing. She reached into her bag and pulled out her notebook. She had listed all the books that were in the crate and was missing a book on fashion and one on gambling.
"Hmm, I was sure that those two books were in here. I'll look again, maybe I missed them." Millie began taking a second look through the stacks of books she made. She got to the second stack, when someone interrupted her.
"Hey mousy, what'cha doin'?" Angel Dust sauntered into the room, looking at the stacks Millie had made. She looked up briefly before returning her attention to the books, "O-Oh, hello, Angel. I'm just sorting these...books," she cringed a bit from her nervous response. This whole 'having friends' thing was still new and kind of intimidating to her. She wasn't really sure what to do. 'Maybe I should conjure a book about how friendships work?' She frowned at the thought 'That sounded sad even to me. Oh well, I have friends now, so I'll need to learn how to be a good friend.'
Her frown didn't go unnoticed by Angel, "What's with the frownin' toots? Ya know, it'll give ya wrinkles," he teased using one of his hands to poke her on the forehead. Millie blushed and rubbed her forehead where Angel had poked her, "O-oh um, I was just looking through the books and noticed that two are missing." She looked at the tall spider, "One was on fashion and the other gambling."
Now it was Angel's turn to blush, "Y-yeah, about that. I um, borrowed them. That looked like a decent read, so I took'em with me after he put the books here the other day," he then crossed all four of his arms, "It's what this whole library thing is for, right?" He seemed a little defensive and maybe embarrassed about it. Millie's eyes widened at his admission, "O-h no,no! I-I yes, that's what the library is for. I only m-meant that I was just wondering where they were." She waved her hands in front of her in a panic. She didn't want to make one of new friends feel bad. She could feel her tail curling around her leg, showing how anxious she was.
"I-I'm really happy that you found something that interested you! I need to make a new list of more books anyway, s-so I'' be sure to add more about those topics." Angel relaxed at Millie's words. He was a little embarrassed about the books. The fashion one was a no brainer, but he had borrowed the gambling one in hopes of learning and maybe playing some cards with Husk one day. "Hey, don't sweat it, toots. I'll return'em if it's causing you any trouble." He made to leave and head to his room to retrieve the books. But a hand wrapping around one of his lower arms stopped him.
"Y-you don't have to return right now if you're not done with them. Keep them as long as you like! That's what libraries are for." She looked into his eyes with a fire Angel had never seen in the mouse before. "Huh, you must really like books." He smiled softly at her. It was cute seeing the timid demon so passionate about something. "Alright Mousy, I get it," Angel's eyes softened at the look on Millie's face. She seemed really happy that he found something that he liked.
Millie removed her hand from the spider after she was sure he wasn't going to retrieve the books he borrowed. "U-um I didn't know y-you were interested in gambling and card playing Angel," she tried to restart the conversation. " That seems like something Husk would like...oh," her voice faded as she spoke. Millie didn't consider herself to be an expert at romance and relationships. Mainly because she didn't have experience in either, but even she could tell why Angel borrowed that book...after she said it out loud.
Angel Dust was visibly taken aback by Millie's observation. He laughed nervously and blushed faintly as she brought up the card gambling and games book. He scratched the back of his head, clearly a bit flustered. "Uh...yeah," he said, feigning nonchalance. "I, uh, just found it, y'know. It seemed interesting."
"O-of course! It is an interesting topic to read up on," Millie broke eye contact and there was an awkward moment of silence. Feeling bad for unintentionally causing Angel Dust's discomfort, she turned back to him and apologized sincerely.
"I'm so sorry," she said, her voice filled with genuine remorse. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I was just trying to make conversation." She felt her eyes start to sting from the familiar sign that she was about to cry. Which made her feel like crying even more. Angel's embarrassment went out the window at the sight of Millie's tears. He panicked, he wasn't good with crying people.
"Hey, hey, don't cry!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with concern and a hint of panic as he tried to console her. Angel rushed over to her and started to pat her head between her ears. "Please don't cry! I can't handle the waterworks!"
" I-I sorry for this, I d-didn't mean to cry." Millie sniffled. She had always been sensitive to stressful situations and tended to cry from being overwhelmed. She tried to calm herself, but once the tears started, it was hard for her to get them to stop. Seeing that the head pats weren't doing any good, Angel did the only thing he could think of. He kneeled down so that they were somewhat closer in height. He wrapped all four of his arms around the weepy demon and pulled her into a hug, smushing her face into his chest fluff. He gently but firmly held her, hoping that the comfort of his touch and the warmth of his hug would soothe her tears.
Millie's tears began to subside and she slowly lifted her head, her gaze meeting Angel's. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying, but at least the tears had stopped.
"T-Thanks," she murmured, her voice a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment. She pulled away slightly, her fingers wiping away any lingering tears from her cheeks. She looked at Angel and noticed that his fluff was a bit damp from her crying. "I got your chest fluff wet with my tears. I'm so..."
"Hey, don't you say 'sorry' again," he said, his tone firm yet affectionate. "You got nothin' to apologize for, sweetheart. Understood?" Angel Dust cut Millie off before she could apologize further. Millie opened her mouth, about to apologize again, but stopped, " O-okay," she sniffled again. "But I-I really didn't mean to get you wet."
Angel grinned at her, "You think this is the first time I've gotten wet, sweetheart? Trust me, I've been in much more moist situations than this before. I'm used to being drenched," he wagged his eyebrows suggestively.
Millie blushed furiously at Angel Dust's suggestive joke, her cheeks turning a rosy shade of red. But after a moment, her laughter broke through, a soft, amused chuckle escaping her lips. She turned her head to the side to avert her gaze, trying to hide the undeniable effect his joke had on her.
Angel gently took hold of Millie's chin and turned her face back towards him. With a sly smile and a mischievous he kept going, "You know, sweetheart, it's rude not to look at someone when you've got'em all wet," he said, leaning in closer to her. Millie continued to laugh heartily as Angel Dust continued his barrage of suggestive jokes. She playfully pushed him away, still blushing furiously. "Okay, okay, I get it!" she finally gasped out between giggles.
"Good," he released her and stood up, stretching his back. "Yeah, we're definitely gonna have to work on your conversation skills, sweetheart. Don't think I'm cut out for another tearfest, no offense."
Millie's eyes widened at his words. She knew he was joking but she really wanted them to be true. She had read up on how to develop better social skills. But reading could only get her so far, she needed someone to help her. Millie, still blushing faintly from Angel Dust's previous teasing, gathered her courage and looked up at him. Her voice was timid but determined as she asked, "W-would you...actually help me practice? I've read books on it, but I really could use someone to practice with."
Angel opened his mouth to tell her he hadn't been entirely serious when he made the offer to help her. But then he looked at her big hopeful eyes and groaned. How could he possibly say no to that look?
With a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. "Ah, what the hell," he muttered. "Yeah, sure. I'll help you out, sweetheart." Millie's face brightened at his answer. "Oh, thank you Angel!" She hugged tightly in excitement. Angel hesitated for a moment but returned the hug, a soft smile on his face. "Y-yeah, sure, no problem."
They stayed like that for a few minutes, before the sweet moment was interrupted by Millie's loud yawn. Angel looked down at her and laughed. "All that cryin' got'cha tired out, toots?" Millie sleepily nodded, his chest fluff was so soft. " Yeah, I always get sleepy after I cry. I usually take a nap afterwards, but I'm in the middle of working. So that'll have to wait," she yawned again.
Angel looked around the room, " How long ya been at it?" Millie couldn't help but snuggle a little more into his fluff. "U-um not long, so it's too soon for me to take a break." Angel snorted at the comment, "I don't think you're in any shape ta keep workin', Mousy." He led her to a two seater couch that was further in the room and sat her down. "Just get a little shut eye. I'm sure Charlie won't mind." Millie looked up at him with a slight frown. She didn't like slacking off on the job, especially for the princess of Hell.
Angel dragged one of his hands down his face. For a shy mouse, Millie was pretty stubborn, "Look, if she says anything, we'll just tell her we had a, ugh, bonding moment or whatever. She'll eat it right up." Millie looked skeptical but the allure of a nap was too hard to pass up.
"Okay," she relented and laid back on the couch. "Good, have a nice nap, toots," he made to leave the library, but Millie gently grabbed one of his wrists.
"W-will you s-stay with me? A-at least until I fall asleep, please? I don't really wait to be alone right now" She looked up at him with those big eyes and again he couldn't resist. But he had to admit it was kind of nice to be needed. Even if it was just to be napping buddy. "Sure thing, toots." He smiled softly and went to sit next to her on the couch. "Ya gonna have ta move over a bit. If ya hadn't noticed there's a lotta me." She giggled and scooched over, allowing him to sit with her.
Angel grabbed her and pulled into another hug, making sure her head was cushioned by his chest fluff. "Now get some shut eye. I'll stay longer and wake ya after an hour or whatever," he huffed. "Okay," Millie closed her eyes,"Thank you Angel."
His gaze softened at her words, "No problem, toots."
It only took a few minutes for Millie to fall asleep. And not long after, Angel joined her in a nap. The duo napped peacefully in the cozy library well into the afternoon.
The door to the library opened as Charlie poked her head inside. "Millie, are you in here? I wanted to apologize this morning. I was just a little tired but now I'm up and charged, ready to tackle the rest of the day." She had wandered further inside the room, still looking for the mouse demon. "Millie? She wasn't in her room and I was so sure I'd find her here."
The princess stopped when she came upon the little couch and saw the mouse and spider curled up together, blissfully asleep. She squealed quietly and whipped out her phone and texted Vaggie to bring a blanket to the library and to be quiet when she entered. A few minutes later, Vaggie came into the library looking for Charlie. "Char? I have the blanket, but why did you want me to..." She cut off as Charlie covered her mouth with her hand. She shushed Vaggie and pointed to the couch with a huge grin on her face. Vaggie looked shocked to see the adorable sight.
She understood why her girlfriend requested a blanket and gently placed it over the two. She stepped back and gestured for her and Charlie to leave them be. Charlie nodded, still trying not to wake them, but stopped to take out her phone again. She took a few pictures of the two, ready to burst at how utterly cute they were.
Once she was done, Charlie and Vaggie left the library, quietly shutting the door behind them.
On the other side of the Pentagram, Alastor was busy slaughtering sinners who were unlucky enough to be in his path. He had seen the entire interaction between the mouse and spider. It annoyed him greatly and he decided to let off some steam on a few miserable souls. He needed to make sure that she didn't get too close with the others at the hotel before he could get closer to her. While he could just force her to do his bidding, it would be wiser to earn her trust and persuade her instead.
After devouring one last demon, he had finally vented out the last of his frustration. Alastor let out a pleased sigh as he dusted off the blood and flesh from his suit, feeling considerably more composed. He was a patient man, and he knew that his plans for Millie would take time. Earning her trust would be key, and he believed that patience would be the ultimate virtue in winning her over.
Alastor continued his leisurely stroll through the streets of the Pentagram, speaking aloud to himself in a thoughtful tone.
"Patience, patience," a sly smile on his face, "All good things come to those who wait."
He chuckled darkly, "And I am a very patient man, indeed."