Fear and Delight (Alastor x Reader)

Chapter 19

Charlie was smiling broadly and Vaggie had a small smirk at her woman's antics as she bounced. You were stuck staring at a slightly lopsided cake in Angel's hands and Niffty and Husk wore party hats on their heads. You blinked at them and shifted, looking back to the cake. "We heard from someone that you were having a birthday," Charlie hummed out. She slunk over to your side, putting a hand on your shoulder. You could feel the awkward nervousness in her fingers as she clutched at you.

"I want-I wasn't going to do anything," you mumbled.

"Bull shit," Angel snorted. "I'm not going to let it slide even if-"

"Even if you weren't going to tell us," Vaggie gave the spider a pointed glare and then smiled at you. You blinked at the exchange but shook it off, staring back at the cake.

"I didn't know people had birthdays down here," you mumbled. Husk grumbled and Niffty gave a small giggle as you were encouraged towards the cake.

"We just have one surprise you might not like," Charlie laughed nervously and patted your back. You stared at her, frowning a bit before paling at the figure behind her. James smiled coyly, holding a wrapped box.

"Hey babe," he hummed out. Your tails lashed out quickly, stabbing through the box only to be stopped by something on the inside. You moved back, nearly walking into Angel who held the cake over his head and stopped you with his free hands.

"Whoa there Sugar Lips," he frowned and pursed his lips as you looked up at him. You could barely see your reflection in his eyes, your eyes wide and glowing just enough to be visible. He didn't feel comfortable but he couldn't care less about the guy and you knew that. You looked down and grabbed your tails, rubbing the now tender ends of thems. "Man, you look like you just saw a ghost or something."

"I think she just didn't expect me here," James gave a sad expression, Charlie visibly giving a bit of concern. You gritted your teeth and stiffened up more as Alastor walked into the room. Everyone winced at the static that engulfed the room.

Vaggie's glare was filled with daggers, "Knock it off. We're celebrating, not murdering residents." Alastor glowered at James, his smile growing.

You could hear the hatred in his voice, "Is that so?"

"Yup," Niffty cut in. She grabbed your hand and you stared at the pink cyclops of a woman. "And there are so many things we have to do!" She started on her rant as she dragged you to sit at the table. James moved to sit next to you, only for Angel to sit down in the chair he had pulled out.

"Thanks, hot stuff. Didn't know you were such a gentleman," Angel teased. He fixed the chest fluff and put his chin in his hand as Alastor sat next to you.

James was irked but he smiled, "Well of course!" He sat next to Angel. Alastor hadn't moved his gaze from the man as the cake was set down and people started to have side conversations. You were soon on the presents, opening each one but the one James had given you. Angel had given you a new dress, subtle but good enough for clubbing if you ever chose to go with him. Charlie had a small planner for you that she said would never run out of pages and continue to update itself every year. Vaggie, the sweet woman, had wrapped her misleadingly, giving you a gun even as Charlie protested that you wouldn't need it.

Her claim was 'she's got to watch that shitlord somehow'. Husk had given you a delicate-looking shot glass and Niffty a small journal. You appreciated it, smiling wider at each one. You didn't know when you'd use them. You were afraid to use gifts. They were something from someone close to you and it meant they thought of you. It made your chest squeeze. James said he didn't mind you didn't open his but the smirk on his face screamed red flags.

They continued to play games, the hotel cheery if not for the undertone of tension between James and Alastor. James had gotten away from him somehow and you knew he was trying to dig for why. You wanted to know as well. James might have connections where you didn't want them or that meant bad news for the hotel. It had become your home. Your safe place.

You'd damn him again if he tried to ruin it.

The door slammed behind you, your arms full of the gifts the hotel had given you. Alastor hummed and stared at them as he walked in front of you, eyeing the box from James you hadn't opened. "Well, isn't he bold?"

"I don't want him here," you muttered. Alastor gave a slightly sympathetic look before taking the unwrapped gifts from you.

"Not much we can do, darling. Just bear with it," he sighed out. His smile was wide yet still reminiscent of the hatred he had earlier. You were left with the wrapped box and a scowl crossed your face as you just stared at it.

"I don't want this," you muttered.

"It was rude to not open it in front of him. The least you can do is open it now," he chuckled. You glared at him, your grip tightening on the box as your tails swayed back and forth. He sat down in his chair and raised an eyebrow at you, smirking. "I doubt he'd do anything too serious."

You sighed and walked over, sitting on the edge of his bed with the box, "I don't want anything from him." Alastor tapped his finger to his cheek when your hands started to shake. You held your breath and started opening it, rubbing your eyes as tears bubbled up. The first thing that hit you was the smell. It was putrid and spread through the room quickly, making Alastor sit forward a bit to see.

You wanted to drop it the minute you saw the plush. It's had was disproportionately large to the rest of it, the whole thing made of skin from who knows where and looking like a patch job. The eyes were two separate colors and the rest of it felt too anatomically correct to be a doll. You didn't even want to touch it, noticing the lining of the box was made out of welded metal so the smell wouldn't escape. Alastor started laughing as you started to cry.

What struck you most was that a bloodied picture, drawn in charcoal, sat at the bottom. It had been of one of your visions when you were alive and if this gift was to ruffle you, it did. In all the wrong ways. Alastor stood and walked over, gingerly lifting the doll and letting it spin in his fingers.

"How quaint," he snickered. You looked up to him, his smile malicious and his eyes glowing dangerously. "This chap knows just how to mess things up." He looked in and took the paper, humming and walking to his table to set it down. He stopped and lifted the doll close to his face, reaching behind it and pulling something.

The doll could talk and it was dementedly sweet even for Hell, "I love you." You leaned over and puked into the box, shaking. Alastor looked over and set the doll down, his hand carefully gathering your hair to hold it away from your face.

"There, there, darling," he cooed and chuckled. You stared at the box and covered it quickly so you wouldn't vomit again from any farther smells. You stood up slowly and sniffled, walking to the bathroom. You wanted the taste out of your mouth. You wanted away from that damned smell. You wanted away from the doll. Alastor didn't bother to follow, letting you shut the door to brush your teeth. The knock at the door when you were done was slightly hesitant but loud and familiar.

You stared at Alastor when it opened, rubbing your eyes and staring at your hands as they shook violently. "Darling, I think this is a declaration. A very loud one." You stared at Alastor and leaned to him, pushing your face into his chest. His arms wrapped around you slowly and his chin settled onto your head. "I can't hurt him while he's here, darling, but we can make it horrid if you'd like."

You clung to his jacket and nodded slowly. The laugh that came from the demon was familiar and dark, telling you he was scheming and about to be up to no good.