Chapter Text
Charlie was walking back to the hotel, she stretched due to her shoulders aching from carrying a heavy duffel bag all day. It was hard to see her friends again after what had happened but she had managed. At least they didn't see how pathetic she had gotten after they had left.
As she was walking back she passed by a bar. She hadn't really noticed or acknowledged it but it was quite close to the hotel. It wasn't all that impressive, just a small establishment but it looked cozy, or at least as cozy as something can be in hell.
She thought she could just stop by and check it out, start trying to do what her dad had said and move on. She wouldn't order anything alcoholic, a Shirley temple at most and she'd be out the door after a bit. She walked through the doors and inspected the place.
It was lit with dim red lighting that bathed the place in a warm, red glow, it was comforting, almost. She walked to the bar itself and sat on one of the bar stools, right next to an imp.
“Hello, I'm charlie!” she said to the imp sitting on the bar stool next to her which made him perk up and look at her which made her get a good look at his face.
Half of his face was covered in a white burn scar, he had a black marking on his forehead that Charlie could've sworn she recognized from one of the circuses in the pride ring. His horns were big and extended back, they were covered in white and black stripes like all imps. The look in his eyes was smug, yet tired.
“Hi there” he greeted back, leaning back on the bar stool. “The name’s Blitzø, the O is silent”
“what O?” Charlie questioned, though realizing it was a little stupid as if a letter was silent in his name he wouldn't say the letter when intoducing himself by name.
“Eh, doesn’t matter” Blitzø said, calling the bartender over. “So I haven't seen you around these parts”
“Yeah, I haven't been getting out that much lately” Charlie agreed, crossing her arms on the counter and resting there.
“Neither do I really” Blitzø said, laughing.
“Ehem, are you two gonna order anything or not?” the bartender asked, their eye twitching slightly.
“Oh yeah, can you get me a whiskey?” Blitzø said almost instantly.
“And I just want a Shirley temple.” Charlie added quietly.
They continued talking till they got their drinks, it was quite a pleasant conversation. He was really good company and almost exactly who she had been wanting to meet. The Shirley temple wasn't anything special but It was good.
At some point she did something she wasn't really all that proud of: she ordered an alcoholic beverage. at what point that was she didn't know nor can she remember what drink it was, most of the night had been a blur. She had just wanted to try it just to say she didn't like it
But one drink turned into two, then three, then four and then she lost count. She doesn't remember most of the night, she remembers that at some point she cried but that's about it.
After so many drinks she had thrown up, her vision was blurry and she had become more conscious, at least conscious enough to be horrified by what happened. She left 50 dollars on the bar counter and stumbled out of the bar.
On the way back home she felt… different. Her thoughts were so much more aggressive than normal, aggressive towards her father, her friends, Blitzø. She had just tried to brush them off as intrusive thoughts but they kept getting louder and louder she almost started believing them.
She didn't even notice when she got to the hotel until she literally hit her head on the glass door, her body had been on autopilot the entire way.
She opened the door and was startled by Lucifer running up to her and hugging her tight like he would never let go. It was a little suffocating.
“Charlie! Where were you? It's 3 AM, you left at 4 PM, shit is this vomit what happened!?” Lucifer babbled, loosening his grip on Charlie allowing her to breathe.
“Dad, dad, slow down” Charlie said her words slightly slurred “I’m fine, I just took a walk around the place and stopped by a bar on the way back, I must've just lost track of time”
She could see her dad was still worried but she just wanted to go to bed and get some sleep. She walked past him and up the stairs to her room, she could feel his eyes still on her back as she went to her room.
She locked the door behind and her and barely remembered to change into her pajamas before crashing into her bed and falling asleep
After a bit of time she opened her eyes only to be faced with a black void with eyes of different sizes with red sclera and black pupils staring right at her. Before she could even get an understanding of her environment, someone appeared in front of her.
They were covered in shadows that obstructed their body and hid their identity, the only thing charlie could make out were a pair of red eyes that were staring into her soul
They began speaking
“Hello there Charlotte.” the individual's voice echoed through the place where they were. It sounded so intimidating Charlie almost fell to her knees from it.
“Who are you?” Charlie's words was small and scared, she didn't know what was happening and just wanted it to be over
“That’s not important right now” they answered. “i wanted to speak with you for a while now but couldn't find the right moment, that is until now”
“What do you want from me?” Charlie shouted grabbing for the figure before her, but the shadows just dispersed and reformed a safe distance away from her.
“I don't want anything from you, Charlie, I want to help you” The figure spoke more quietly now. “I want to let you take revenge on those who have wronged you”
“I don't want revenge!”
“That’s what you think, but I know you, Charlie” They continued, Charlie covered her ears trying to drown out their voice but she could still hear their voice clear as day. “i know what you want, I went through exactly what you are going through, I can help you”
“SHUT UP!” Charlie screamed, falling to her knees, tears pricking her eyes
“People like them can't be helped, they can only learn through pain” they continued on as if Charlie hadn't said anything. “Let me give you my power so you can fulfil your desires”
“Please stop!” Charlie now started actually crying
“Give in”
Their voice got louder and louder, their body growing, now towering over Charlie, she closed her eyes trying to pretend everything was fine. Their voice seemed to have doubled now chanting “give in”. She could feel her body get colder and she almost felt like she was gonna die.
Charlie suddenly opened her eyes and jumped. She could feel her heart pounding and her face and body felt cold, sweat dripping down her face.
The second she realized she was in her bed she breathed a sigh of relief, it was just a dream. She stood up and walked towards her bathroom, she felt dirty both from the sweat and the scent of vomit that she could now feel on herself now that she was more sober.
She stripped and got into her bathtub that she filled with water. She submerged herself in, the hot water seeping into her body and relaxing her muscles.
It was nice since her whole body and mind was just stuck in fight or flight for the past day.
She just stayed there for a minute or two just trying to calm down and she could figure out what to do in the future later.