For the AU-gust discord server's "April Showers Bring M-AU Flowers" event, Day 1 Prompt: Hurt/Comfort
Spring time. Birds were singing, flowers were blooming. Beauty was in the air. At least that's how it was on Earth. Hell on the other hand and a 24/7 forecast of fire and brimstone. Everywhere except a single hotel.
It was Charlie's idea of course. She thought it would do her guests good to get away from the bleak and stagnant environment of the Pride Ring. She wanted them to experience the varied colours of the seasons once again. She already had ideas for Summer, Fall, and Winter, but she began with Spring. And in true Morningstar fashion, she did it without telling anyone.
Alastor was the first to find out. The scent of blooming flowers hit his nose before he even saw them. Not any flower, he knew the smell immediately. The light but acute aroma of daisies.
Cautiously he walked out of his room and into the hallway. He was met with the sight of green, a colour he wasn't sure could exist in hell. His eyes were first drawn to the source of the accursed smell. A pale lavender vase containing a bouquet of fresh daisies. Then his attention was brought to the other flora in the hall. Next to the vase was a pot containing a cherry blossom tree. Small enough to fit within the hallway, but still tall enough to brush against the ceiling. Alastor had to admit it was quite beautiful. Next to it was… a pineapple bush. Alastor had to blink a few times. The decor looked like it was chosen by someone who understood the concept of spring, but had no actual experience with the season, and so slapped together whatever plant life they thought was pretty. Which narrowed down the list of culprits down to the obvious suspect.
His suspicions were confirmed when he made his way to the lobby. On top of a ladder in the middle Charlie was hanging baskets of petunias onto the chandelier, her red suit covered in dirt and mud.
"Oh, Alastor!" She beamed when she saw him and began to climb down the ladder, not missing a beat. "So, how are you liking the new decorations? A little bit of springtime cheer to spruce up the hotel, isn't it great?"
She turned towards Alastor, expecting to see his smile and hear his applause for her idea. Instead, she saw his back facing away from her, staring at one of her daisy bouquets.'
"Ah, the daisies, they're one of my favourites! I take it to you like them?" she asked as she cozied up to Alastor and wrapped her arm around his shoulder.
Alastor's eyes remained on the daisies. "They're quite lovely, yes," he replied, with his typical chipper demeanour, his grin remaining fixed.
Charlie's face fell. She'd known Alastor for months now, and she liked to think she'd gotten better at reading the eternally smiling Radio Demon. She could see the little things, the way his lips held looked more forced than they usually were, and there was a slight strain in his voice. "Really? Because if you have any other suggestions I can swap them-"
"They're fine Charlie my dear, don't make such a big fuss about it! Ha Ha!" Alastor said with a chuckle Charlie could tell was fake. Alastor pulled away, giving her a condescending pat on the head as he walked back up the stairs, leaving Charlie standing in the lobby by herself wondering what she was going to do.
Alastor journeyed through the hallway to his tower. Just as he reached the door he paused, and turned back to look at the daises one more time. He considered going up to them to take a sniff but pushed the thought away and entered the radio station, locking the door behind him. He traversed to the top of his recording booth and briefly stood there. He frankly wasn't sure what he was doing up there.
He sat down at his desk and turned on the radio. He scanned through the static, looking for something that would soothe his nerves. His finger stopped on a smooth jazz tune. It was something he heard his mother play often in their home, back when he was just a young boy. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, letting the music wash over him.
Memories flooded his mind. His mother singing tunes to him, her teaching him to dance, the daisies in her garden. They were always her favourite, and they were once his favourite too. Until they became tainted with her blood. Now he couldn't look at them without being reminded about his greatest failure.
Alastor wondered what the others would think if they knew. It's not like he cared if they despised them, half of them do already. Yet Alastor did not want to leave. Even the thought of watching how this scheme of Charlie's would fail didn't seem to entice him.
He didn't know how long he sat there listening to his music when he heard the knocking on his door.
"Alastor I know you're in there, I can hear the music!" came the voice of the Princess. There was an irritation in her tone that told him she had been knocking for some time.
"What is it dear?" Alastor asked, preparing his excuse for when Charlie asked him to step outside.
"I need your help with something! Something important!" She yelled with a sense of urgency. Alastor's curiosity peaked. That's the angle you're going with?
He was sure he could simply stay within the tower and the princess would leave him alone. But the knocking grew louder. With a sigh, Alastor turned off the radio and sailed over to the door to swing it open.
"So my dear, what can I help you with?" he asked with his chipper voice.
"Oh, I just wanted your opinion on some last-minute changes to the decorations!" Charlie said with a large obnoxious smile as she motioned towards the plants. Alastor wanted to roll his eyes, but his gaze wandered to where Charlie gestured. The trees and pineapples were still there, but the daisies were gone, replaced with bushes of roses.
Alastor turned back to Charlie, her face having a soft expression. "So, what do you think?" she asked with a genuine nervousness, and an unspoken I did this for you.
Alastor pondered for a moment before he felt his smile become less forced, almost on its own. Before he even said anything Charlie's face lit up. He was admittedly impressed with how much better she had gotten at reading him. "I think it's lovely dear."
Charlie gave him a soft smile, before rushing down the hall. "Come on! The others are waiting in the lobby!"
Alastor chuckled before retreating into the shadows and re-materializing next to the crowded bar. He heard a yelp and turned to see Angel Dust jumping back. "Shit, you have GOT to stop doing that man!"
He would have made a witty remark, but his attention was made by the thundering of hooves as the princess ran down the stairs. "Okay everyone," Charlie said enthusiastically, though clearly out of breath. "I'm sure by now you've all noticed the new decor as part of our new seasonal initiative!"
There was an awkward silence as Charlie paused for applause. Alastor smirked but decided to start clapping. Soon the others followed suit and Charlie's face lit up. As much as he denied it, the sight of a smile on Charlie's face had grown to bring him some modicum of satisfaction.
"So this is pretty an all, but one question," Angel Dust began, "but I've got one question, what's with the pineapples?"
The applause died as Charlie's face became confused. "Why, what's wrong with them?"
But of course, he was still here for the entertainment.