After Season 1, of course, my creative juices regarding this little fic series of mine just kept flowing again. Obviously, I was wrong about some things (like Alastor being a longtime friend of Lucifer), but I am amazed that Alastor in the show turned out to be as much a condescending asshole as I'd gathered, treating everyone around him like a plaything. While a lot of things came to mind, that scene with Alastor pulling Husk's soul chain reminded me that while we love Alastor as a character, he is not a good person. And I wondered how my OC Tina, who had been a victim of abuse, would react to seeing an interaction like that. Anyway, this snippet of Alastor and Tina's marriage turned out much longer than anticipated, so I made it a two-parter.

For context, this fic takes place a few days after the flashback scene of Chapter Nine in "I'm a Fool to Want You."

Some of this part was inspired by the song "Apex Predator" from the "Mean Girls" musical.

DISCLAIMER: "HAZBIN HOTEL" BELONGS TO VIVZIEPOP!


Whenever the Radio Demon wanted something from someone, he would do one of two things. Intrude on the person's personal space, or force them into his. Today, he had chosen the latter and summoned Husk into the lounge of his estate.

"Be a good little kitty and pour me some whiskey," Alastor said, waving a glass in his hand, "will you, Husker?"

Husk rolled his eyes as he took the glass and went behind the bar. Alastor was perfectly capable of pouring his own drink, but he liked ordering Husk around.

"What is it this time?" the cat asked as he picked a bottle of whiskey off the shelf.

Alastor leaned on the counter. "I need your opinion on something."

Husk always had to tread carefully when Alastor asked his opinion. While the Radio Demon acknowledged how observant the cat was, he also didn't like it when someone disrespected him. And Husk wasn't exactly known for his politeness.

"Fine." Husk poured the whiskey. "What?"

Alastor swiped the glass, swirling the liquid around. "I was thinking of taking Tina out."

Although the Radio Demon had been married for six months now, Husk still wasn't used to hearing him ask for romantic advice. The man hadn't talked about so much as a one-night stand before his wedding announcement. It was a strange thing for the cat to wrap his head around.

"And?" Husk said. "You've taken her out before. Why bring me into it?"

"Oh, this is different than our usual outings," Alastor replied. "Sure, it is necessary for us to go out every now and then to convince the public we are hopelessly in love…"

There was the reminder that this wasn't romantic advice at all, but advice on an elaborate ruse, which was in character for the Radio Demon.

"But I was thinking this time would be a bit more special."

Husk raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

"Something…happened, recently." The radio filter in Alastor's voice disappeared a moment as his finger circled the rim of his glass. After an audible fizzle, he perked back up. "Tina's just been working oh, so hard to play the role of my wife that she deserves a reward! You've had more experience in the courtship department, old friend. I thought it'd be wise to run by the details with you in advance."

"What'd ya have in mind?"

Alastor sipped his drink. "I was thinking I'd take her to dinner. Someplace classy with a romantic aesthetic. But nothing like those lustful dens of debauchery littering the city. Know of any restaurants that might fit the bill?"

He pushed his glass forward with his finger and Husk topped it off. "Why not just take her to the restaurants you've already taken her to?"

"Because, Husker," Alastor said, taking back his glass, "the restaurants I like don't match Tina's dietary preferences."

In other words, they catered to cannibals.

"What does that matter?" Husk said. "It's for show anyway, isn't it?"

"Yes, but she still has to eat something. Every time I take her to Cannibal Town, she orders a meatless salad and people stare. What kind of husband would I look like if I'm starving my wife?" Alastor rubbed his chin. "Should I present her with a gift? After we finish our main course should be a good time. Jewelry, perhaps? Something amethyst to go with her eyes. What do you think, Husker? Necklace? Bracelet? Does she wear earrings? I've never noticed."

"You know." Husk crossed his arms. "You could always ask your wife what she wants."

"Oh, but that would ruin the surprise!"

"Why does it have to be a surprise?"

"Because it's much more interesting to surprise her than to give her a gift she knows she's getting!" Alastor stared off into space. "Yes, amethyst earrings would go nicely with that lavender dress of hers."

The softness in his tone surprised Husk. He had been hearing that tone frequently nowadays. It happened whenever Tina was involved in the conversation. Since Alastor had met the woman, something had changed. He was as manic as ever, but his attentions were more focused. His radio broadcasts were now few and far between. Husk remembered one particular broadcast on Valentine's Day, when the Radio Demon had slaughtered a man who had wronged Tina in life. Alastor had killed many on the air, but never in someone else's name before.

And now he was planning a date. Not just any date, but one that would cater to Tina's desires.

"And after dinner," Alastor went on, "we could go dancing! Oh, but someplace other than Mimzy's. I'm sure she's tired of going there every single night for work. Hmm, there are a few other jazz clubs that might tickle her fancy. Or perhaps a walk through the park? The black lilies are in bloom! She does love lilies so."

And he even knew her favorite flower? This conversation was getting stranger by the minute.

"Now what about the restaurant? Surely there are non-cannibal places that serve good old-fashioned Southern cuisine. Maybe someplace with lane cake or peach cobbler on the dessert menu."

"If I didn't know any better," Husk said, "I'd say you were starting to like the dame."

"Of course, I like her!" Alastor exclaimed. "It'd be a rather boorish existence if I married a woman I didn't like!"

"No, I mean…" Husk shook his head. "I know I said you should treat Tina right, but with you coming to me constantly asking me for advice on how to make her happy, it makes me wonder if… I don't know. If this is even an act for you."

There was a record scratch. Then a laugh track.

"Don't be ridiculous, Husker!" Alastor waved a hand. "Tina is business, nothing more!"

"Then why are you so eager to impress her with this date?"

"As part of our ruse! The Radio Demon presenting his beloved with a thoughtful, expensive gift in a romantic restaurant? The papers will eat it up!"

"Figures." Husk sighed. "You know? For a moment, I was starting to think you actually cared about someone other than yourself."

Alastor narrowed his eyes.

"Ain't gonna matter where you take her, what you give her. So long as everyone else believes you two are madly in love. Tina won't even care. She'll just smile and nod to go along with the act you roped her into. I feel right sorry for her, the way you parade her around town like some expensive bitch on a leash."

"What did you say, Husker?"

The room darkened, static increased, and Alastor's eyes and teeth glowed. Husk's ears fell back.

"W-What did I say?" He backed away. "Y-You asked for my opinion and…"

A green shackle appeared around his neck, along with a chain. Alastor pulled on the chain, dragging Husk over the counter.

"Just because I asked for your opinion," Alastor growled, "doesn't mean you get to disrespect my wife."

He threw Husk to the floor. The cat shivered as he looked up at the growing demon.

"B-But what did I say to make you—?"

"Call her bitch again." Vodou symbols flashed around Alastor as he stuck his face into Husk's. "I dare you."

Husk blinked. "Wait. That's why you're—"

"She is a lady." Alastor rolled the chain around his wrists. "And she is my wife." He snapped the chain like a whip. "You will not refer to her with such vulgarities, or else I'll rip you limb from limb, grind your flesh into a pot of jambalaya, and mix your blood with my whiskey!" He was now five times Husk's size. "Do I make myself clear, Husker?"

Before Husk could answer, there was a cry from the doorway. "Al?"

The static cut off as both men turned to the subject of their conversation. That bat demoness stared at them with her mouth agape.

"The fuck is going on here?"

As if changing a radio to a completely different channel, Alastor snapped back into his regular form and exclaimed, "Tina!"

He dropped Husker, the chain disappearing as he hit the floor. Alastor stepped over the cat and outstretched his arms in welcome.

"How was rehearsal, darling?"

She ignored him and ran to the cat on the floor. "Husk, are you okay?"

She was about to kneel to his aid when Alastor scooped her up with his arm and led her towards the doorway. "Oh, he's fine, dear. Husker and I were merely having a…disagreement."

Pushing his arm off, she demanded, "Ya had him chained up!"

"A soul chain, dear. Nothing important." He waved a hand. "So glad you're here! I wanted to ask you—"

"Don't go pretend like nothing happened! I heard ya the moment I walked through the front door!" She poked him in the chest, making him grit his teeth. "What the fuck makes ya think ya can treat someone like that? Especially when ya know what happened to—"

"It's fine, Tina," Husk grumbled.

Tina turned to him with wide eyes. "What?"

"It's my fault." He lowered his gaze. "I…I said something stupid. He was just…putting me in my place. Don't worry about it."

"See? He's fine." Alastor snapped his fingers. "Thanks, Husker, for your incredibly useless advice!"

Husk disappeared in a puff of shadow.

"Now then!" Alastor leaned on his staff. "As I was saying, chère…"

Tina was too frazzled by what had just transpired to hear him. She knew Alastor owned Husk's soul, but she'd never seen her husband talk to him like that. So controlling, so overpowering, the way he'd spoken to other demons who had messed with her. She hadn't felt any sympathy for them, but Husk was another story.

She hadn't known the bartender for long, but he was a decent guy. A good listener, always available for advice, like a grandpa figure. A grumpy one, but well intentioned. With how often he was over, she'd thought Alastor considered Husk a friend, but that… That wasn't how someone treated their friends. That was how an abuser treated their victims.

She herself had been in that situation too many times.

"So, darling, what do you say?"

"Huh?" Tina blinked and found Alastor in her face, smiling as if he hadn't just threatened a friend in front of her. "I-I'm sorry, what?"

"To dinner, darling! Tomorrow is your night off, isn't it?"

"Err, yeah."

"Splendid! We'll depart at seven! Be sure to dress to the nines!" He flicked her chin. "And smile, dear! You know you're never fully dressed without one!"

He bent down and squinted at her ears. "Ah, they are pierced!"

"Huh?"

It wasn't until his cheerful hums were down the hall that she realized he'd just asked her out to dinner. Frankly, after that display, she didn't feel like going anywhere with him, but how could she say no? It was her role as his fake wife to accompany him on outings. They were bound to have an official date at some point.

Besides, if she went against him, he might get mad. And if Husker wasn't safe from his wrath, who's to say she was?


Tina knocked at the door to Husk's apartment. He opened it up and raised an eyebrow.

"What are you doing here, kid?" He scratched his head. "How'd you know where I lived?"

She slid past him. "Peeked into Alastor's address book."

His apartment was what one expected in Hell. Withered furniture, roaches crawling the floors, garbage, specifically bottles, scattered everywhere. Before her marriage, she'd lived someplace similar.

"Invite yourself in, why don't ya?" Husk sighed as he shut the door. "Least you knocked first. Unlike one bastard I know. Can I get ya a drink?"

"No." She spun on her heel to face him. "I just wanted to see if you were okay."

"I told you." He went to the fridge. "I'm fine." He got himself a new bottle and slammed the fridge closed. "Does Alastor know you're here?"

Tina huffed and crossed her arms. "Al doesn't need to know where I am all the time. Besides, he thinks I left for a last-minute rehearsal at Mimzy's."

"Whatever. Look." He gestured to his surroundings. "I ain't exactly in a mood for visitors. So, if checking I'm still alive is all ya came for—"

"Wait." She held up a hand. "Can we talk about what happened earlier?"

Husk growled. "If you weren't Al's wife, I'd be kicking your ass outta here. And I don't mean metaphorically."

"Hey, I get if it's uncomfortable for ya, but I can't talk to Al about it." She kicked at the floor. "I tried, but somehow the conversation ended in him askin' me out on a date."

"Did he say where?"

"Just dinner."

He rolled his eyes. "So, he did drag me over there just to fuck with me."

"Huh?"

"Nothing." He took a swig and plopped onto the moth-eaten couch.

"Husk," Tina said, sitting beside him, "what happened, that was abuse."

He groaned as he removed the bottle from his lips with a smack. "You think I don't know that?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Then why you actin' like it's no big deal."

"Cuz it ain't." He swirled the bottle in his hand, watching the alcohol slosh from side to side. "I'm used to Al's shit by now."

"Husk."

"It's fucked up, I know." He shrugged. "But it could be worse."

"He had ya chained up and was threatenin' to kill ya. How can it be worse?"

"I could be selling my backside for bitches like Valentino." That shut Tina up. "Don't get me wrong. Alastor is a bastard who treats me more like a pet than a friend, but it's better than the alternative. Of course, you know all about that."

She looked down at the twiddling fingers in her lap. "I always knew Alastor wasn't a good person. But I didn't think…I didn't think he treated you that way. Is he like that with all the souls he owns?"

"Only the ones that piss him off." Husk snorted. "And he seems to like bothering me especially, cuz he calls on me more often than a delivery boy."

"Does he treat…Niffty that way?"

"No." He rolled his eyes. "But only because Al knows if he pulls the whole ball and chain thing on her, she'd be less threatened and more turned on."

That sounded about right. "Would he…treat me that way?"

Husk stared at her, contemplating the answer. "Hard to say, kid. But when a demon owns your soul, he has the right to do whatever he wants with ya. And if you go against the terms of your contract… Well, you saw what could happen."

Tina tilted her head. "Contract?"

He squinted. "He doesn't own your soul, does he?"

"I married him. I didn't sell my soul to him."

"Then he didn't…?"

When Alastor had told Husk a woman had agreed to marry him for protection, the bartender had assumed her soul had been involved in the deal as well. After all, the Radio Demon liked being the one in control. If he owned his wife's soul, he would be in control of everything she did. But based on Tina's reaction, the subject of her soul had never come up.

Husk shook his head. "Never mind. You're lucky, then. So long as your soul is free, he can't force you into anything."

Tina shifted on the couch. "That doesn't mean he can't get angry at me."

He leaned towards her. "He's seriously never tried to get you to hand over your soul?"

"No. Just proposed."

He relaxed. "Then you just might be the one who's safest from him."

"What makes ya think that?"

"Hell is like a jungle," he said, holding out his arms as if giving a tour, "and Al is like the apex predator. Not as high on the food chain as Lucifer or one of the other Sins, but pretty close to the top. That makes you his mate. And a predator will never devour its mate."

"I don't know about that." Tina smirked. "Ever heard of black widows?"

"The point is Al is least likely to take his anger out on you," Husk said, pointing his bottle at her, "so long as you keep playing the role of his wife, as you agreed."

That reassured her a little, but Tina still didn't like the idea of her husband treating other people like slaves. Given both their African backgrounds, she didn't understand why Alastor was completely okay with this concept.

"Do you," Tina started, "do you want me to talk to him?"

Husk eyed her as he took another sip. "About what?"

"Freeing your soul?"

Sighing, he placed his bottle on the coffee table. "Kid, don't even try. This is Alastor we're talking about. Once he's made his mind up about something, there's no changing it. Besides, I've made my bed. Now I have to lie in it."

He was right. There was no changing Alastor's mind. Maybe he listened to her about trivial things like letting her set up a boom box in her room or keeping demon flesh out of her meals, but if it came down to something as serious as freeing someone's soul, she didn't think she'd have any sway over him.

After all, last Valentine's Day, when her former agent, Wilbur, had appeared in Hell as a pig demon and started blabbing to the press about her past, Tina had begged Alastor to leave him alone. Next thing she knew, Wilbur's dying screams were on the radio, and she'd come home to find pork stew on the table.

Why was it so easy to forget how dangerous her husband was? A few nights ago, during a thunderstorm, Tina had sought Alastor out for comfort, and gone into the basement against his wishes. She'd seen the severed organs in jars. She'd heard the screams of a victim in the next room. She'd seen Alastor in his final form, furious that she'd broken one of his rules. That frightening image, along with the triggering crashes of thunder, had caused her to faint.

And yet, when she'd woken up in bed, Alastor had been at her side. He'd listened to her explanation, he'd hugged her, he'd stayed with her through the night. Like any loving husband would do.

But no, he wasn't loving. He reminded her every day that he didn't love her. Their relationship was professional. Any moments of affection were just for show. Those moments in private were likely to make her feel less inclined to back out of their deal.

It took watching Alastor lash out at Husker for Tina to remember that no matter how charming or doting her husband appeared, he was still a deadly Overlord one shouldn't cross. Nothing would change that. Not even his wife.

"For what it's worth, though," Husk said, "I think Al cares more for you than he lets on."

Tina blinked. "What…makes ya think so?"

"Well, the only reason he got mad was because of something I said about you." He rubbed the back of his neck in guilt. "You didn't happen to overhear that, did you?"

"I came in just as he was threatenin' to mix your blood with whiskey."

"Anyway, he was asking me advice on where to take you out. I said it didn't matter, cuz he'd be…dragging you around like an expensive bitch on a leash." He winced. "It wasn't anything personal towards you, I just thought that's how he was treating ya."

As a comedienne who made a living talking shit about the people around her, Tina didn't take Husk's comment personally. "It…does feel that way sometimes. Wait. That's what made him mad?"

He nodded. "According to him, disrespecting you means disrespecting him."

"But you weren't disrespecting me."

"He didn't seem to think so."

That was odd. Alastor's role as Tina's husband was to protect her from people who meant her harm. Sure, Husk's comment might not have been the politest, but it wasn't like he'd leaked her past to the tabloids like Wilbur. Besides, Husk knew the situation about their marriage. Alastor's reaction had been overblown.

Not to mention it was sort of true. Tina was more Alastor's pet than his wife, as degrading as it was to admit it. He dressed her up in fancy things, gave her treats, took her for walks and gave her the occasional pat on the head. But that didn't matter because their marriage was one of convenience anyway.

So then, why had the insinuation made Alastor so upset?

"Look," Husk said. "Don't get any ideas. The person Alastor cares about most is himself. But he does, on some level, care for others. Niffty, Mimzy, Rosie, you. He'll protect you, I'm sure."

"For now," Tina muttered.

He patted her hand. "Let's hope it never gets past that."


"Oh, Rosie, these are perfect!" Alastor exclaimed as he examined the contents of a black velvet box. "I knew I should've come to you first about this!"

Rosie grinned from behind the counter of her emporium. "I'm sure Tina will love 'em."

He closed the box and tucked it away in his jacket. "And the restaurant you recommended sounds delightful!"

"So, what's the occasion? Her birthday?"

"No, it's not her…"

He trailed off. Actually, Alastor didn't know when Tina's birthday was. He hadn't celebrated his own in such a long time that he hadn't thought of celebrating Tina's. For all he knew, it could've already passed. He made a mental note to ask her later.

"It can't be your anniversary already," Rosie said. "Or are you going by the month?"

"It's just dinner, nothing special." Alastor waved a hand. "Can't a man take his wife out simply because he loves her?"

"True, but you don't come to me often with romantic advice. Makes me wonder if there's something special you have in mind for tonight."

Alastor's cheeks flushed in a way Rosie had never seen before.

"As a matter of fact," he said, running a hand through his hair, "there is…something I've been meaning to ask her."

"Oh?" She raised a curious eyebrow. "And what might that be?"

"It's…" His eyes darted around the emporium, which Rosie had cleared so she could assist her longtime friend. "Personal."

"Very well, Alastor. Keep your secrets." She circled the desk. "Though while we're on the subject of your upcoming date, have you thought of getting yourself a new coat?" She smoothed out his lapels. "Some white trimming would be a refreshing contrast to all this red."

"Later, perhaps." He politely lowered her hands. "So, should I give her the gift before we eat, or after?"

"Well, if you give 'em to her before you leave the house," Rosie said, "she can wear 'em all night."

"Yes, but no one else will see me giving them to her."

"What does it matter if people see?" She placed her hands on her hips. "You're giving these to her because you love her, right?"

Alastor's internal radio buzzed. Unlike Husker, Rosie wasn't aware that this marriage was a farce. Although Alastor had a feeling she suspected. After all, she had known him for decades, and Tina was the first person he'd ever introduced to her as his romantic partner. It wasn't that Alastor didn't trust Rosie. He simply worried she might chastise him for taking advantage of a woman's misfortune. It wasn't gentlemanly. He had to watch what he said around her.

"Of course, I love her," Alastor said. "And I want all of Hell to know she is mine."

Rosie frowned. "You know, women don't normally like it when a man acts like he owns her."

"But I don't own her. I never made a deal for her soul."

"Doesn't matter whether you own her or not. It matters in the way you treat her." She gestured to the pocket holding the velvet box. "Gifts are a fine way to show affection. But give her too many, and you'll be less of a husband and more of a bank."

Alastor didn't see her point. One of the reasons Tina had agreed to marry him was for his money. She joked about it in her sets all the time.

"What would you suggest?" he asked.

Rosie shrugged. "Sometimes, affection is best shown in the little things you do every day. Like making her favorite meals, being her shoulder to cry on, even just making the bed when you get up in the morning. Tina's a smart girl. If you show her how much you pay attention to her, she'll notice."

At the mention of a bed, Alastor blushed. The thought of waking up to her beside him, then gently rousing her for breakfast, and then making the bed they had shared through the night…

He shook his head. "Thank you, Rosie. You've given me a lot to think about."

"Anytime! And do tell me what Tina thinks of the gift."

"I will! Ta-ta!"

As Alastor went out the door, Rosie waved with a big grin on her face. Once he was gone, she muttered to herself, "Oh, sweet Tina Twinkle, the poor boy doesn't even realize what you're doing to him."


Tina trudged through her show, doing her best to avoid the pair of red eyes locked on her all night. Alastor had come to every one of her shows since they'd met. While she'd grown accustomed to his presence, the incident with Husker haunted her mind. For that reason, she skipped her usual stabs at her husband. He rarely complained when she made fun of him onstage, as it was expected in standup, but the image of Husk chained by the neck made her less inclined to anger the Radio Demon even slightly.

After the show, she took longer to change into her casualwear. Now that she was done with work, she would be returning home with her husband. She wanted to talk to him about Husk, about how much it had scared her, but how could she broach the subject in a way that wouldn't set him off?

"This is ridiculous," Tina told herself in the mirror. "He can't hurt ya. We have a deal that prevents him from hurtin' ya."

A deal they'd made in this very dressing room. If he injured her, she had every right to return the favor, and vice versa. But the memory only reminded her of how threatening he'd looked then, all because she'd gotten a little too handsy in their lovey-dovey act for his liking. His eyes had been radio dials, his claws had pressed her against the vanity. If she hadn't stood up for herself in that moment, would he have torn her apart with those claws?

"Darling!" Speaking of the Radio Demon, he was knocking on her dressing room door. "Are you alright in there? You've been in there for quite some time!"

Tina shook her head. "Err, yeah. Hang on. Almost done."

Safe or dangerous, this man was her husband, and she couldn't avoid him forever. So, once she was dressed, she opened the door to the smiling devil.

"Shall we?"

He offered his arm and Tina flinched, causing him to raise a confused eyebrow. He always walked her home after her shows. Why was she flinching from his arm like it was a lethal weapon?

"Sweetheart?" he prompted.

"Uh…" She smoothed out her skirt. "Actually, Al, can we skip the walk tonight? I'm, uh, real beat right now. Don't feel like walkin' all that way."

"Of course!"

Alastor stretched his arm around her and pressed her to his side. Her shoulders tensed under his touch. Another confusing reaction. He chalked it up to her exhaustion as he summoned his shadow to take them both back to the manor.

The second they materialized in the parlor, Tina yanked herself out of Alastor's hold, more rapidly than expected.

"Care for a quick nightcap?" He gestured to the bar. "Whiskey, scotch, wine?"

A drink was something Tina could really use right now, but that also meant another few awkward minutes with her terrifying Overlord of a husband. If she was going to keep up this loving wife act, she needed time to process what she had seen today. And being around him wasn't helping.

"N-No, thanks." She headed for the doorway. "I'm just gonna crash."

The corners of Alastor's mouth shrank an inch. It wasn't like Tina to turn down a drink. She must've been really tired.

His thoughts went back to the storm from the other night.

"Tina."

She stopped in the doorway but did not face him. "Yeah?"

He leaned onto his microphone. "Have you been getting enough sleep?"

While she was bewildered by this question, Tina had to admit sleep had been difficult the past few nights. Ever since that storm, those old, traumatic nightmares had been reawakened. Alastor had been comforting through the storm, but she was afraid to ask him to stay with her again. After all, she was a grown woman. She shouldn't have to rely on her fake husband to help her with her sleeping issues.

Besides, after today, Alastor's presence might make things worse.

"Sure," she said.

He tilted his head. "No more nightmares?"

She winced. "Nope. None."

She didn't have to look at him to know he didn't believe her. Her piping voice didn't sound convincing to her either.

"Would you…?" Alastor's voice glitched as he murmured, "W-Would you like me t-to…?"

Tina turned slightly, catching the Radio Demon in a state that appeared…nervous? The ear-like tufts on his head were flat, his eyes were downcast, red dusted his cheeks, and his fingers were fiddling with the head of his microphone.

"What?" she asked.

Alastor straightened up, widening his grin. "Nothing that can't wait, darling! Get some rest! Remember, it's your day off tomorrow and we have plans!"

"Right." Hopefully, she would get over her insecurities by then. "Uh, why are we going out again?"

"No reason!" He waved a hand. "Just another routine public appearance as part of our deal! Nothing to concern yourself with! All the same, it won't be as fun if you're all put out from lack of sleep!"

"Don't know why you're makin' such a fuss," Tina grumbled as she slunk out of the parlor. "Mr. I-Don't-Need-Sleep."

Though she said it under her breath, the comment did not escape Alastor's ears. It was true, he had told her during the storm that he found little use in sleep. And yet when he had stayed with her, when he had laid beside her in bed…

His shadow manifested on the wall, pointing to the doorway Tina had left through, then placing its hands under its head to mimic sleep.

"Yes, I know." Alastor grunted. "But it's a very…sensitive matter."

How could he ask her? It was inappropriate. Sure, they were married, but only on paper. Their intimacy was not meant to go beyond platonic bounds. And what they had done that stormy night certainly wasn't platonic. Was it?

It was scandalous to suggest it. And yet, since then, he'd longed for it. He'd even slipped into her room while she slept. Only for a moment, of course. To check that she was sleeping soundly. Unfortunately, he'd caught her tossing and turning. Oh, how he'd wanted to reach out and assure her she was safe, that the ghosts of the past could not harm her now. But without her permission, it wouldn't be gentlemanly.

The velvet box he'd gotten from Rosie popped into his hands. He opened it and his smile softened as he gazed at the jewels inside. Despite the circumstances of their marriage, he wanted Tina to like the gift. He wanted her to enjoy herself on their date. He wanted her to understand how important she was to him.

And then, perhaps, she wouldn't interpret his request as too forward.


Boy am I glad we finally got to see Rosie. I didn't use her much in the fic before, but her pretty much being aware that Alastor is ace yet not explaining it to him coincides with what I did write of her.