Harmony in Hell: A Radiodust Story

Chapter One

Alastor strolled towards his room, intending to delve into a few more chapters of his latest book. Humming softly to himself, his tunes were just a gentle whisper, considerate enough not to disturb the others who were either fast asleep or seeking solace in the quiet night. As he passed by Angel Dust's room, a faint sob reached his ears. Halting in his steps, Alastor glanced at the slightly ajar door, an unusual sight for the usually closed-off spider demon. Initially inclined to carry on, another sob caught his attention, prompting him to reconsider.

Turning back, Alastor knocked on the door, only to be met with a distressed voice yelling, "G-go away!" Ignoring the plea, the radio demon gently pushed the door open. Inside, he found Angel Dust, curled up with tear-stained cheeks, his normally impeccable makeup now a streaked mess. Two hands tugged at disheveled hair while the others wiped away the flowing tears. "I-I told y-you to go away," Angel Dust managed to choke out.

Disregarding the request, Alastor closed the door softly and approached the trembling spider. Pausing for a moment to choose his words, he finally spoke, "Would you like to talk about it?" Angel Dust looked at him with a bewildered expression, questioning, "Why do you care?" Alastor responded calmly, "Well, it's obvious something is wrong, and I care about all of the people here, in one way or another.

Alastor settled down beside the distressed spider, his hand gently resting on one of Angel's arms, coaxing it away from the tangled mess of his hair. This unexpected touch surprised Angel Dust, considering the radio demon's aversion to physical contact. "Now, what happened, dear?" Alastor inquired once more, reaching for the spider's other hand. Angel, wiping away his remaining tears, spoke softly, "It's just... Val. He just keeps pushing, and I don't know how much more I can take. Fuck, I just want out already."

A brief silence hung in the air, interrupted only by the static emanating from the radio demon. Then, to Angel's surprise, Alastor pulled him into an embrace. The spider found solace in the unexpected warmth of the hug, even though it puzzled him. "Anthony, I-" Alastor began, but in an instant, Angel pushed the deer away. "Do NOT call me that!" he exclaimed, wrapping both sets of his arms around himself to ward off the haunting memories associated with that name. He didn't want to relive that feeling, ever.

Alastor stared at the spider, his smile faltering, replaced by a genuine concern in his eyes. Angel despised it; he didn't want the radio demon to care, not now, not again. "Isn't that your name, though?" Alastor questioned. "That name died when I did," the spider spat. The deer's ears flattened against his skull, and he cast his eyes downward. Despite his fervent desire to bury the memories and shield himself from the past, the sight of Alastor in this vulnerable state sent Angel back—back to the time before Hell, before death, before everything went to shit.