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There was a strange feeling in his chest.
He didn't understand it.
It always happened... Around her...
Now, Alastor wasn't a fool. He knew very well what the feeling was, deep down. He just refused to acknowledge it. Denial is a powerful thing.
But denial got harder by the day. As he kept up his endorsements and funding, he got to see her more often. Charlie. And it was torturous.
Because at first it started simply and ignorably enough. Note that she's pretty and that her giggles are cute, and that her personality is likeable. Simple enough, surface level observations anyone could make.
Then he noticed smaller things. How she scrunched her nose when she laughed. How her eyes sparkled when she smiled, truly and happily. How she would nervously comb through her hair, and tap her foot silently when impatient, pouting and switching feet every few minutes or less due to mild OCD.
It was all...
It was all dreadfully, monstrously adorable.
He hated her for it.
Hated how his heart (he still had one?) pounded near her, hated how when she laughed his greyer face became as red as his hair, hated that he wanted to act better in front of her to save her opinion of him.
Alastor, the Radio Demon, was bewitched.
He was knocked out of his thoughts by her finger tapping his shoulder.
"Um, you kinda zoned out!" she laughed nervously. "So uh, hi! Again! I talked to you only an hour ago so maybe saying hi is dumb but-"
"Nonsense my darling, say whatever you please!" Alastor grinned, eyes just wide enough to be eerie. She gulped but managed a small smile. "...Ok. So uh, can we talk more about the hotel?"
She wrung her hands together, teetering on her feet, smiling in that awkward way.
And this was the moment it truly clicked in his head.
'Oh', he thought, 'oh.'
'I'm in love'
....
'I have no way to appropriately articulate or come to terms with this revelation...!'
'So i suppose all i can do for now is enjoy her company'
And he did.
"Yes my dear, that sounds most delightful!" and this time his grin was truly real.