After Alastor magicked away their mess, the two business partners finally settled down to engage in an actual dialogue.
Charlie reiterated her struggles and her doubts, wanting her companion to understand her current mindset and the issues she was working through. She had come to his room yesterday to discuss her worries and his Mark (but had been extremely side-tracked as they both knew very well.)
And Alastor understood, knowing the far-fetched dream of hers would be an undertaking beyond measure from the very beginning. Her fears were understandable enough, and something he imagined that even the most prepared person would and should eventually go through.
She described the first activity and the worry it struck in her heart after Sylvie's admission. She described Vaggie's concerns, skipping over some more personal issues, and last but not least, she brought up Vox.
Alastor's deer-like ears perked at the name.
"Vox offered to broadcast our hotel's progress on every channel in Hell!"
"For what in return?" Alastor asked, immediately suspicious.
"He wants one of his colleagues to sit through redemption lessons."
The deer demon shook his head, against it. "Vox is not to be trusted. His colleague could easily be a spy."
The demoness sighed, expecting this response. "What could he possibly gain by observing our hotel?"
"Not so much something to gain, but rather something to get rid of."
"Get rid of? You don't mean…"
"Me, darling. Vox is a fool, and he could never best me in a million years. But his reach is long, and I am not at my full power. If the Vees were to orchestrate any sort of attack on the hotel… I am not sure I'd be able to defend it." Alastor said this with reluctance. Admitting weakness so readily was a hit to his ego and it pained him greatly.
"We'd fight them off! We fought off the angels! We can handle any old Overlords."
"The three of them together could be a problem. Welcome the guest if you wish, but remain on guard at all times. You remember Sir Pentious, don't you?"
"Of course! And Sir Pentious was my greatest student!" Charlie became misty-eyed at the memory of their lost friend. "Maybe Vox just needs an opportunity to change, just like him!"
Alastor smirked, enjoying seeing the spark return to her mood. He couldn't fight her when she got this way. And a part of him didn't want to anyway. His fingers itched against his cane. He wanted to be angry about Vox, sadistic even, but Charlie's incessant belief in everyone was nearly enough to sway him.
But only nearly.
He eyed her, a cautious expression that he hoped she understood. "Have it your way, dear. But remember my warning. And I assume, Vagatha's as well."
He could out the gray angel right now, he thought. What might Charlie think of her girlfriend approaching Vox for reasons other than mere outreach? But an uncharacteristic hesitance held his tongue.
She would bring about her own undoing, he was sure of it.
"Yeah… Vaggie wasn't happy," she said off hand. "But she seemed to be coming around to it?"
"Oh, was she now?" Alastor crooned, recalling the clear disagreement he had walked in on. "What, pray-tell, would change her mind?"
Charlie fiddled with her fingers, the international sign of uncertainty. "He said he'd make her an offer too," she admitted.
Alastor sat up in his chair, his grin widening to a smile. Very interesting, indeed! "Something besides supporting the hotel? Like what?" he asked, his voice slick with intrigue.
The hotelier avoided his gaze. "Ummm, she said it was a surprise…"
So the gray angel had managed to avoid her lover's wrath after all! Were the two conspirators of Vox and Vaggie already in cahoots? Was the angel already caught in a web of her own making? Did Vox really think he could get access to the Radio Demon through some convoluted plot of his?
Despite all this, Alastor was revved up, his sharp teeth glistening with the potential for trouble. His claws gripped his chair and his antlers sprouted several tiny prongs. He was far too excited for anyones' good. There was nothing he enjoyed more than a little drama and he found he had been somewhat lacking in the enemies department.
As much as he loathed the idea of Vox causing trouble for the hotel, he also welcomed it with dark, open, tentacled arms.
The Mark had been quiet as of late, surely he could handle one little Overlord? He was already ignoring his own advice to the demoness, and his own fears regarding the Vees. He couldn't help himself, he supposed.
"All these unknowns and you are certain of this decision?"
"Well, how else am I meant to get the word out? I tried the commercial, the news report, the party… and we still only have five new guests." Charlie looked downcast.
"You could always ask me to do a radio broadcast," Alastor suggested, waving his hand as if it were obvious.
"On the Radio Demon's screaming death channel? Nooo, thank you," she shook her head.
Alastor chuckled. Is that how she saw his show? "Those are just silly rumors! My broadcast has evolved since then, especially after all these years."
"Really?" Charlie asked, somewhat disbelieving. Alastor's smile gave nothing away. Her eyebrow rose with skepticism. His teeth sharpened. Charlie sighed, giving in. "Fine… I'd… love it if you did a radio broadcast for the hotel, Al."
"Perfect, darling! I'll do just that. It's been too long since my last."
"Thank you," the half angel grinned, only somewhat wary. By now she trusted Alastor a lot more. Surely he wouldn't do anything to risk their success…
"In the meantime, we'll remain cautious about Vox and his mystery guest, shan't we?"
"Well…" Charlie drew out, looking around the room. "That's another thing. I know who the guest is…"
The deer demon rose a slender brow. Charlie's demeanor was suspiciously odd.
"Who?" he asked, somewhat afraid of the answer. Charlie had held back this knowledge for the entire conversation, clearly she was hesitant to admit it.
"Er… Seviathan Von Eldritch," she mumbled.
"... Of the Von Eldritch royal family?" he asked, unsure of the significance.
"Yeah," she said. "He's Frederick and Bethesda's only son. My dad and his dad were good friends once upon a time."
"I don't quite understand. Is this why you accepted Vox's proposal? You trust this Seviathan?"
"Ummm I do…" Charlie began to blush, poking her fingers together in embarrassment. "Sev and I…we actually used to date."
Alastor eyes widened in surprise. That was the last thing he had expected to hear. "Well, well, well," he chuckled, his grin becoming a lopsided smirk. "Isn't this becoming quite the complicated affair!"
"I know what you're thinking and it's not like that!
"Why did you and Master Sev end things?"
"Oh, political…reasons," she managed to say, avoiding eye contact.
"So it wasn't your decision?"
"It wasn't technically either of our decisions. We ended things because it was that or get married. And we weren't ready for that. My Dad knew it too. He got into it with Sev's dad and that was it. They don't really talk anymore. It's just weird now."
The more Charlie talked, the more Alastor wondered why he had never heard this story before. Seemed a crucial part of Charlie's little history. She was almost married off to another royal family? How peculiar. Things might've been so very different for the princess.
For a second, Alastor was grateful with how things turned out.
"So your spurned lover is coming to stay at this hotel?"
"He isn't my spurned lover!" Charlie yelled, blushing a harsh shade. "We ended amicably…sort of… we were just kids, we didn't know what any of it meant anyway."
"When's the last time you even saw this fellow?" Alastor couldn't stop the questions tumbling from his mouth.
"Years maybe, but…" she sighed suddenly, wistful. "What I wouldn't give for one last dance…"
"Excuse me?" Alastor's posture straightened at the sound of longing in her voice.
"Seviathan was the best dancer I ever knew! Prom was so much fun, we were the two best dancers in Hell School!"
The deer demon's ear twitched, not privy to such things only meant for the Hellborn. It irked him somewhat to be out of the know. Hell School… What a strange concept.
"Is he still the best dancer you know?" Alastor asked.
Charlie looked at him slyly. "Are you fishing for something, Al? Because I'll have you know…" she made direct eye contact then, challenging. "He beats you by a longshot."
He slammed the tip of his radio into the ground at the slight. "Preposterous! I don't believe you."
The demoness laughed, standing from her chair. She patted Alastor on the shoulder in a condescending manner. "Believe it, pal."
Charlie made her way to the door, ignoring Alastor's screech of incredulity. Oh how she loved to rile him up. It was usually the other way around so it was fun when she had her chance!
She would give Vox the go ahead and then Seviathan would arrive at the doorstep of her very own hotel. How exciting! It would be such a blast from the past and a bit of a point of pride to allow Charlie to show off her accomplishments to a fellow royal hellborn. His connections could do wonders for the Hazbin Hotel! Whatever reasons he had for being associated with Vox and his reasons for coming at all would have to wait. She was far too focused on what it could mean for the future. Not to mention, how fun it would be to see an old friend! Surely an ex-flame of hers couldn't possibly cause any issues amongst the current residents…
…
Alastor had forgotten why he came to the office in the first place.
'The book of poetry!' his mind rang and the deer demon fought the urge to slap his forehead for becoming so distracted. He sang a whole song for Hell's sake! The princess would be the literal death of him one day if he couldn't go a second without devolving into some sincere mess.
He dug around the papers in the office, and even looked through Charlie's desk, careful not to look too closely. But he couldn't help himself from spotting a colored photograph, shoved in the corner of her drawer.
It was an old picture of a much younger Charlie, clad in a long red dress, and hanging onto… what looked to be an absolute prat of a young man dressed in a green suit, complete with top hat and sharp grin.
Alastor's eyes narrowed. He didn't like the look of this slippery fellow, and instinctively he knew this was the exact person that was about to enter and disrupt the sanctity of this hotel.
He slammed her drawer shut and stalked to the door. If the book wasn't here, it must be in her personal quarters. He'd be forced to retrieve it then, one way or another.
…
Vaggie was stewing in her shared bedroom when Alastor manifested in a black shade of dust.
"What the Hell?" she shouted, grasping for her spear. "What the fuck are you doing in my room!?"
"Whoopsie!" said Alastor, nonchalantly, spinning his wrist in a circle. "I thought this was Charlie's room!"
"We share this room you pointy-eared freak! Get out now!" She pointed her weapon at his chest but the deer demon didn't flinch. His dismissive attitude only managed to fuel the former angel's fury further.
"There's no need for name-calling, Vagatha. I am merely looking for something that belongs to me," he said calmly, lying just a little bit.
"How often do you just decide to let yourself in? Don't you know anything about privacy!?" Vaggie was too riled to calm down, still mad about him interrupting her conversation with Charlie.
Alastor walked around the room, hands behind his back. He casually looked around, expecting the woman in the room wouldn't let him examine anything closer. He'd have to come back again, he thought with annoyance. Her spear followed him as he went.
"I'll have you know, I am a gentleman who often knocks!"
Vaggie rolled her single eye. "You've already entered two places today without knocking!"
"I did say 'often', not 'always'," he continued, his eyes roaming over visual surfaces for any sign of an ancient book. Vaggie stalked towards him, getting dangerously close to piercing his clothes. Alastor had to fight his devilish instinct to grab her angelic spear and snap it in half. If that thing came even an inch closer…
Vaggie pressed forward, the tip of her spear nicking a thread of his coat.
He narrowed his red eyes into slits, heat verberating off of his person. If he couldn't fight her physically, he knew just what to say to piss her off instead. "You should tell that to your dearest Charlie…"
Vaggie's grip tightened on her weapon, hating hearing him talk about her so casually.
"She has a habit of wandering into my bedroom at all hours of the night without warning!"
"She what?" Vaggie spluttered, a pink tinge coloring her cheeks. Her spear faltered for a second and Alastor took that opportunity to yank it from her hands.
He spun it in a circle, as he would with his cane, and jammed it into the floor. "Careful where you point this thing, my dear. You could hurt yourself," the static in his voice pitched menacingly.
Vaggie backed up, away from the hulking Radio Demon. Sometimes she forgot who she was dealing with, an ominous green energy radiating off of him. But she found herself again and pointed a sharp finger at the door. "Just fuck off already!"
Alastor shrugged, returning to his usual self in an instance. He walked slowly towards the door, instead of just teleporting away, further antagonizing her.
She followed him until he was in the hallway. "And stay away from Charlie!" Vaggie slammed the door in his face.
Alastor "hmph'd", disliking the outcome of that little conversation. Vagatha was as far away from cooperative as demonly possible. And while he did enjoy angering her, it did not please him to know that he could do nothing more about the situation.
Vaggie was Charlie's lover and it would behoove the deer demon to do anything to truly damage the former exorcist, as much as she tried to goad it out of him.
It was an odd stalemate that didn't seem near to a resolution anytime soon, if ever.
He stomped down the hallway, annoyed at his lack of progress. Maybe he'd just leave this damnable place and head to the ancient library again.
…
Eventually, Alastor descended the steps into the lobby, where he spotted the typical group, engaging in some sort of strange activity.
Charlie stood in a circle made up of a reluctant Angel, Husk, and Niffty as Charlie mumbled what sounded like instructions.
Failing to conceal himself in a timely manner, the demoness immediately spotted and waved him over.
"Al! Come here! We're practicing the "Virtuous Knot"!" she shouted. Husker cringed at the volume.
"I despise that name," commented the deer demon. He did not walk towards them.
"Right? With a name like that, you'd think this would be sexier." Angel rolled his eyes.
"I'm not done explaining!" said Charlie, suddenly busting out a slip of paper she had tucked away into her jacket.
Her eyes rescanned the paper. "Ah, okay! So, we stand in a circle and then everyone has to grab the hands of someone across from them…" She hmmm'd and examined it further.
Alastor was snaking his way through the lobby while she was distracted.
"Al!" she called again, not letting him get away that easily. "This game works much better with more people!"
He dismissed her with a wave. "Call Vagatha, or one of the new roaches."
"Not the roaches!" yelled Niffty.
Charlie looked away, her brightness dimming. "Vaggie doesn't want to come down right now."
Alastor raised a brow. Was that his doing? Or were they still reeling from the morning?
His body moved of its own accord and he stood next to the odd group. They looked like they were trying to summon a demon, and technically, they did.
"So, you have to grab the hands of two different people across from you. And then… you untangle the knot without letting go! It's a great team-building exercise based on trust, communication, and collaboration!" She crumpled up her notes, confident she had it memorized.
"Seems touchy," commented Husk.
Angel raised a brow in delight. "That's what I'm talkin' about!"
"Why's it called 'Virtuous Knot'?" asked Niffty, too short to even hold the hands of the people in the circle.
"Well I couldn't call it… 'Human Knot'… since we're not… well, human!" said Charlie.
Sometimes Alastor wondered just how much thought she put into these games after all.
The group tangled themselves, arms crossing over one another until they were sufficiently wrapped up. Charlie was holding onto Husk and Angel, while Niffty dangled in between them.
Alastor stood by watching, amused. If the whole of the hotel were to participate in this nonsense, it would make for quite the spectacle. If he were to participate, he knew just where he would insert himself for maximum entertainment value…
Husk looked very much like he wanted a drink and Angel looked confused, his extra arms just causing more chaos. Charlie was barking orders, trying to maneuver her way underneath the locked arms as Niffty did nothing to contribute besides swing around, mouth hanging open in glee.
Eventually, they succeeded, their 'Virtuous Knot' becoming unraveled. Charlie was huffing with the effort of her leadership, having done all the work.
"See?" she wheezed, "Wasn't that fun!?" She was met with stares. "It's better with more people, trust me! And the next level is absolutely no talking. You must do it through body-language alone!"
Angel smirked, not even having to say anything.
"Sensational as always," said the Radio Demon, continuing his trek to the door.
Charlie caught up with him, placing a tentative hand on his shoulder. He turned then, questioning.
"Al," she whispered, confidential. "It's been days now… how is the you-know-what?"
His red eyes glowed, feeling like there were far too many present for such a conversation. He eyed the rabble nearby and saw they were distracted watching Niffty trying to detangle herself from her own knot.
"Where is the book?" Alastor asked quickly instead, not having an answer to her question. "From your frightful father?"
"Oh! I have it right here," she replied, conjuring a book out of nowhere, as if pulled from some pocket dimension. "I thought it wouldn't be safe just laying around, it's really old."
Alastor admired his companion for a moment. She had powers still that confounded him, a portal space that reminded him of Zestial's own, a power he had yet to master. He would have to ask her about that eventually when they had the time.
"I have new knowledge concerning our little issue," the deer demon said on the sly, pocketing the book within his coat.
"You do?" Charlie said, her eyes gleaming with hope. "Tell me!"
He hushed her instead, placing two gloved fingers against her lips, an action he has done many times before.
"All in good time, my dear. Return to your games and I will see you tonight."
It sounded like they were scheduling some secret tryst and Charlie couldn't stop the blush from blossoming on her cheeks. She was spending way too much time with Angel, she thought, while Alastor narrowed an eye in uncertainty of its cause.
The last time she had tried to check his Mark, she drunkenly undressed him, the memory coming, unbidden. The blonde hotelier fought the heat on her cheeks, as she nodded in lieu of a response, her mouth still covered by his touch.
The Radio Demon just grinned, clueless as to her thought process but charmed all the same.
He withdrew his two fingers from her lips, lightly brushing against them, before placing the same fingers against his mouth, lingering for a moment. "Good girl," he hummed. With a mysterious smile, he vanished out the door.
Charlie's face erupted in red, smoke draining from her ears like a boiled over kettle as she stared after the closed door in front of her. She couldn't believe he just…
When she turned back to the group, they were all gawking, mouths agape at the exchange they just witnessed.
"Holy fuck," said Angel.
...
AN: The second I saw that picture of Charlie and Seviathan in the background of the show, I knew I had to have him in the fic lol.
Everyone has their own little machinations...
Hope you enjoy and thanks for reading and commenting!