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This was a disaster. There was no other way to put it – she had a calamity on her hands; a complete and utter failure on her part. Charlie had forgotten to bring snacks to game night.
The whole event had been her idea in the first place! And now, well now the whole thing was ruined before it even had a chance to begin. Charlie was pacing circles into the floor, eyeing the elaborately decorated grandfather clock, one of Alastor's many donations to the Happy Hotel, every time she walked past it (though she had a nagging feeling that he was gonna collect on those courtesies sooner rather than later).
The table on the center of the room had been set up with all sorts of card games, varieties of differently colored chips and a couple of alarmingly-empty bowels. This was going to be a disaster – you couldn't have game night without snacks, everyone knew that. There weren't exactly many fun ways to pass the time in Hell, well, other than the obvious – and Charlie had no desire to tread anywhere near that particular topic as long as Angel Dust was in hearing distance - so this had sounded like a good idea at the time
The door creaked, the sound making Charlie jump. Her eyes flashed to the grandfather clock, the denizens of Hell weren't known for their punctuality, and even if they were, she wasn't expecting anyone for at least another few minutes.
"There you are! I've been looking for you all over." Vaggie kicked the door close behind her, her hands both occupied carrying heavy-looking, brown bags that made Charlie wonder how she opened the door in the first place.
"Hi, what's with… all that?" Charlie asked, waving a finger at the mysterious bags. Vaggie didn't answer her, instead carefully emptying their contents onto the table. Charlie didn't hide her surprise, something quickly replaced by a grin.
"I was in town, and, knowing how you forget about anything other than work the second you begin, thought I'd make sure you have everything you need for tonight." looking inside the second bag, Charlie found that it, too, was filled to the brim with all sorts of sweets, snacks, and… booze? She raised an eyebrow at her girlfriend. "Nonalcoholic. Please, who do you think I am?" Vaggie assured her.
"I thought you didn't like game night?" Charlie asked, remembering the rather skeptical comments about the whole affair she heard just yesterday.
"Who says that I do? Perhaps I simply happen to share a bed with a certain demon that likes to talk – and sing – about her plans, extensively."
Charlie felt the heat rise in her cheeks. "Sorry, I didn't mean to babble."
"I like you're babbling. It’s cute.” Vaggie smiled and Charlie felt herself relax. "B'sides, if this is important to you then it's important to me. And who knows? Maybe this'll stop the others from doing anything we’re going to regret, at least for a couple hours."
"You mean something that would stop people from coming here? Because so far we’re practically drowning in all the new arrivals." Charlie hadn’t meant to let her frustrations show, but she couldn’t help the sarcastic remark. People weren't exactly running down their door, especially after what has since been dubbed the 'Killjoy Incident' had been broadcast through all of Hell not even a week ago. Things are going to get better, Charlie tried to reassure herself, it's only been a few days, just give it a little time. Rome didn't fall in a day, after all.
The hotel wouldn't fail, would it? She couldn't fail, not again, not after everything they did to get this far and--
"Hey," Vaggie's voice pulled Charlie out of her thoughts, it was only after she felt a hand on her shoulder that she realized that she had began to pace again. "It'll be alright, give it a few more days and this place is going to be crawling with sinners ready to abandon their shameful ways and devote themselves to nothing but love and virtue."
Charlie snorted, Vaggie grinned and shook her head. "But seriously, we both knew this wasn't going to be easy – and after Angel Dust's little stunt it'll be even harder – but we can do this, you can do this.”
Charlie's doubts about the hotel didn't just suddenly vanish into thin air, that would’ve been easy (Hell didn’t really do easy, that’s one of the first things she learned) but even if she couldn't completely believe in her plans for the future just yet, she could believe in Vaggie, and for now that was enough.
----
They were about ten minutes into their third round of poker when two things began to become rapidly apparent to Vaggie. One; she was horrible at hiding her own tells. And two; Angel Dust was cheating.
It wasn’t the fact that he was cheating that bothered Vaggie, this was Hell they were talking about after all, what really got her was that she didn’t know how Angel Dust did it. By all accounts Husk should clean the floor with him without so much as trying - the problem was, he wasn't. Vaggie just wanted to see him lose at something , anything to get him of that fucking high horse he’s been riding around since the second he first stepped through their door - even if it was only at a stupid card game.
Husk reached for one of the bottles standing dangerously close to the edge of the table, having emptied the supply he brought with him just a moment ago. Who the fuck carried a six pack around with them wherever they went, anyway? What was wrong with these people? Stupid question, Vaggie, read the damn room. The sound of something shattering made her jerk her head around only to see Husk toss the bottle out of the nearest window. “Nonalcoholic. Fuck me, this really is Hell.” Husk groaned, letting his head drop on the table
“Is that an off-” Angel Dust tried, risking a quick peek at Husks cards.
“Don’t.” Vaggie cut him off. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence.”
“Aw, come on! You’re even less fun than usual, and that’s saying something considering who we’re talking about. Feeling a little tense, perhaps? You know, there’s this amazing massage parlor down the street, you wouldn’t believe how many amazing things you can do with just a splash of lube and enough flexibility.”
“Oh I’m gonna show you just how tense I am, you fucking-”
“Oookay, how about we all calm down a little?” Charlie pleaded and Vaggie felt a wave of guilt rush over her. She shouldn’t let herself be riled like this, tonight was about Charlie, not her and Angel Dust’s petty arguments.
“I’m as calm as they get, honey,” Angel Dust smiled, showing his hand to the rest of the table, “and if I’m not mistaken I won, again.” He quickly snatched the unreasonably large pile of cash from the center of the table and reclined back in his chair.
Vaggie should have brought something sharp and throwable with her, just in case.
“Really quite impressive, I must admit.” Alastor spoke up for what might’ve been the first time in hours. “But may I suggest something to make this game a little more...exciting?”
“Exciting? Now we’re speaking the same language, sugar.”
A better person would’ve advised Angel Dust not to trust the Radio Demon. Vaggie was not that person.
“Marvelous. Now, while this has been a rather entertaining night, listening to your bickering and squabbles and all that, I propose a wager – a sort of grand finale, if you will; I say that whoever is to win the next round takes everything, the losers leave with nothing but their own feelings of failure and crushing self doubt.”
“So what’s in it for me?” Angel Dust asked, “The way I see it I got the most to lose and jack shit to win.”
“Very true, which is why, should you and your rather impressive streak of good luck continue, I will grant you a wish of your choosing.”
“What, who do you think you are? Some fucked-up version of the Genie?”
There was a brief moment of silence in which Vaggie wondered if the Radio Demon had even listened to Angel Dust’s question. Alastor turned his head around, grinning even wider than before. “Yes.”
“Sounds good to me. I’m in.”
“Splendid,” Alastor said, shuffling the deck with unmatched precision and dealing a new round. “Ladies and gentlemen, the bets are open.”
-
Charlie won. Charlie – who up until tonight hadn’t even known how to play the game in the first place - had won everything . It was all quite surreal to Vaggie, who instead of watching her girlfriend vanish behind the pile of her winnings, opted to study Angel Dust. He looked like a kid who’s favorite toy just got taken away from him. Vaggie would be lying if she said she wasn’t enjoying herself.
“So, princess… how about a rematch?” Angel Dust asked.
“Sorry, but I think I’m just gonna turn in for the night, it’s pretty late.” Charlie yawned, stretching her arms over her head and cramming the cash she won in one of the bags Vaggie had brought in earlier.
“You sure? I’ll even throw in some of my movies, all limited edition.”
“That’s very...generous, but I’m gonna go hit the pillow – big day tomorrow.” Charlie made an exit before Angel Dust could make another offer, a certain spring in her step that wasn’t there before. Husk quickly followed, dragging himself out of his place at the table and into the corridor, muttering something about “cheating assholes” under his breath.
“Don’t worry, if you run out of cash the next time you can just start putting all your daddy issues on the table, those should last you a while.” Vaggie found herself smiling, tonight had been more fun than expected. Maybe game night hadn’t been such a bad idea.
“Very funny, Sudaca , you lost, too, you know? What do you have to smile about?”
“Oh no, your face right now is enough for me to think that I won big tonight.”
“Eh, think what you want.” Angel Dust muttered, taking a half-emptied bowl of snacks and slamming the door shut behind him.
Vaggie was about to get up and leave, too, when she heard a familiar crackling in the air. “Spectacular, such disdain, such contempt – marvelous!" He made his way around the table, stopping next to Vaggie. “Always glad to be of service.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nothing you didn’t wish for, of course. I do have thank you, this has been a thoroughly invigorating experience. To watch someone so close to the finishing line only to have everything snatched away from them at the last possible second? To see them crash and burn? Ah, there simply is no better ways to end a day.”
“So you helped me, why?” Vaggie demanded, once more wishing she had brought the spear with her.
“Why don't we call it an investment? Something to keep in mind for our dealings in the future, yes?” Alastor offered. A non-answer, of course, what else could she have expected to get? He moved for the door, Vaggie cut him off, blocking the exit with her arm.
“I know you think this whole thing is just one colossal joke, but if you ever do anything to hurt Charlie I swear I’ll shove that spear so far up your ass you'll look like a fucking kebab, are we clear?”
“Quite, my dear. Alas I do hope to see you try one day, this world is so tragically devoid of any real challenge these days.” Vaggie removed her hand from the door handle, letting the Radio Demon pass into the corridor.
Vaggie waited until he was almost at the corner leading toward his room when she decided to called after him. “And Alastor?” he stopped dead in his tracks, waiting a moment before turning around. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” and with that Alastor vanished behind the corner, leaving Vaggie to stare down the empty hall. Somehow she had the feeling that their lives would only get more complicated with each passing day.