(Hazbin Hotel) Book 2: The Radio Family, Welcome to Hell!

Chapter 360: Aciano - "It's time for me to tell my story about Wu-Laoshi."

Lost In Life: by Rival, JAMICA & Costa Leon
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Two days after Azrael and Michael left Hell...

Within Castle Dread...

The patriarch of the castle was woken up early in the morning before the Hellish Sun came up over the horizon, by the horrific sound of a young child screaming bloody murder.

Vlad flung off the duvet, jumped out of bed and ran down the halls to Aciano's bedroom before his wife could even register the fact he was no longer inside the room.

The granite tile floors felt like ice underfoot and although he only just managed to fall asleep about an hour ago over worrying about the boy all night, Vlad's tired body was filled with adrenaline.

The child's screams were so raw and full of emotions that Vlad couldn't even put to name! It felt like someone had just stabbed Vlad through the heart with a rusty knife then cuts him open with a jagged scar from his heart to his navel before pulling it out.

When he finally reached the child's bedroom he heard the hysterical sobbing from the other side of the door, his heart clenched.

He also heard Caliban and Viviana from within the walls and softly told them through a series of bat like clicks that he'd handle this.

He gently knocked on the door to not startle Aciano and walked inside. When he saw Aciano, Vlad knew this nightmare was much worse than the others the boy has had in the past.

His sheets were scattered on the floor like he had fallen from the bed and he was backed against the wall. He was visibly shaking and curled up into a tiny ball with his butterflies fluttering around him in a protective swarm. In an effort to not draw any attention to himself, despite the swarm, Aciano was hiding his face within his arms. Vlad could hear muffled sobs and slight whimpering from the child.

Vlad hurried over and fell to his knees in front of the child and brought the terrified boy into his arms, holding him tightly against his chest. His nightshirt was now soaked with the child's tears as he held Aciano's trembling body.

Vlad gently stroked the back of Aciano's head as he rocked back and forth while sitting on his bruised knees that were throbbing slightly from the impact with the floor. But that's nothing compared to the turmoil this child is going through as he whispers reassuring words of comfort against the top of Aciano head.

"Shhhh, shh it's okay, I'm here, you're okay, you're okay Aciano, you're safe now. It was just a bad dream."

After a few, painfully long minutes, Aciano's sobs turned into sniffles and the boy slowly pulled back looking slightly embarrassed.

"...Aci?" Vlad peered down at him. "Are you okay?"

Aciano slowly nodded, still not looking Vlad in the eyes. He looked more like he was reassuring himself than anything else.

"Are you sure? Do you want to talk ab-" Vlad was instantly cut off by Aciano's panicked expression. He hurriedly shook his head and gave Vlad a small, reassuring smile. It was a horrible attempt, because the corner of his lips were trembling as he was sucking up snot to hopefully silence another sob.

Vlad mentally grimaces over the childlike action then sighs over how despite his actual age, Aciano was and still technically is - only a child in the eyes of many.

With permission, Vlad gently pulled Aciano back into his warm embrace which the child slowly melted into with a weary sigh.

They stayed like that on the floor for a bit just enjoying each others company before Vlad's internal clock registered that it's 5am and he's only gotten about three hours of sleep.