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Alastor couldn't help but have a pep in his step as he entered the hotel.
Humming along with the upbeat tune emanating from his radio, he walked to Husk's bar, smile a bit larger than usual.
The cat quirked one of his unusually large eyebrows at the Radio Demon's apparent good mood.
"What's got you so happy?" Husk gruffly asked, going back to wiping down a glass as Alastor took a seat.
Alastor pretended to check his nails, the music on the radio growing louder in his excitement. "I was just relieved of a burden a bit ago." He cryptically replied, grinning. "A liquor, if you don't mind."
A sentence like that was typically a pretty good indicator that Husk did not want to know what had happened. He dragged his hand down his face and simply got to work.
He really did not want to know.
"A burden?" Came a heavily accented voice, the spider it belonged to sliding onto the stool beside the Overlord. "Watcha mean by that?"
Of course someone had to go and ruin his blissful ignorance. Of fucking course.
"Ah, well, my former partner just broke up with me." He answered, smile wide and giddy as Husk placed his liquor in front of him.
Husk's eyebrows raised in surprise. Alastor was dating someone? Since when?
Angel beat him to it, though. "WHAT!? Ya were datin' someone? When'd that happen?"
At this point, the conversation had the entire staff's attention.
Alastor waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, a few months." He replied, sipping his liquor.
"Aw, sorry to hear that, Al!" Charlie attempted to comfort, walking over to him. "How are you holding up?"
He sent a bright smile her way, waving his hands outward. "Why, I'm doing very well! I couldn't be more thrilled!" An audience cheered from his radio. "Thank you for asking, I suppose!"
There was a grumble behind him. "Satan, do you not care about anything!?" Came an angry voice. "You can't even be bothered when you and your partner split up?"
Alastor's head snapped backwards to face the source of the complaint, neck cracking unsettlingly. "Why, yes, Vagatha. You would be correct. I did not enjoy being in the relationship, so it's only natural I would enjoy its end." He grinned at her sharply.
Before Vaggie could respond, Angel Dust cut in. "Why didn't ya like it?" He asked, taking a sip of the martini Husk had prepared for him. "Were they an asshole or somethin'?"
"Oh no, dear. Quite the contrary!" Alastor responded, tapping his cane on the floor. "He was quite nice. A genuine joy to be around!"
He heard Vaggie angrily mumble a few... Choice words behind him. The demons in front of him looked confused.
"Well... Why did you break up with him, Radio Demon?" Sir Pentious questioned, slithering to the bar.
Alastor tutted, wagging his finger. "I've told you, I was unhappy in the relationship, as I am with most romantic endeavors." He responded, finishing off his glass. "Another, dear Husker." He requested, smiling at the unimpressed looking feline.
"Hold up, Al. Are you saying you don't feel romantic attraction?" Charlie asked, walking to stand beside Angel Dust.
Alastor hummed, rubbing his chin as a new drink was placed in front of him. "That is a very strange way of asking, Charlotte! But, I suppose that may be an astute observation!"
She smiled at him. "That's called being aromantic, Al! And if you also don't feel sexual attraction, that's called being asexual!" She informed him. "If you're both, you can shorten it to aroace. Aro is for aromantic, ace is for asexual."
"Perhaps that is a suitable descriptor for me." Alastor acquiesced, sipping his liquor. "Whenever I enter a romantic relationship, I just become.... Severely uncomfortable, for no apparent reason." He revealed, drumming his fingers on the bar top.
Charlie nodded excitedly. "Yup, it sounds like you're aromantic!" She confirmed, smiling at him with joy. "Of course, research it on your own, Al, but to me it sounds like that's it!"
"Sounds right to me, too." Husk interrupted, preparing a glass of wine for Sir Pentious. "I've known ya for a long time, Al, and the princess's description fits the bill, from what I've seen at least."
"Ooh! Ooh! I agree!" Niffty concurred, bouncing up and down. "You don't really care about that kind of thing, right? You almost never date! And like you said, you hate it when you do!"
Alastor's grin had grown a tad nervous. "Well, it's nice that it has a name now, I suppose, but what I know I am experiencing is a.... Sexual dysfunction, of sorts." He supplied. "I was diagnosed with it while I was alive, and it hasn't gone away in my death."
Vaggie huffed out a laugh. "A sexual dysfunction, huh? That's... Pretty outdated, but then again, so are you." She jabbed. "Well, what's the treatment? I can't imagine you'd be taking it even if there was any."
He laughed nervously, finishing off his second drink. Husk began to pour him another before Alastor could say a word. "Well, I take these pills which are supposed to.... Enhance my desire for this sort of thing." He shared, the others looking at him in shock he would reveal this, or that he was taking them at all. "I've been taking them since I was alive, so near a century, now. They've yet to work. Well, they work, but just.... Not as intended." He grimaced.
They all stared. "Do you... Uh, do you enjoy taking these pills, Al?" Angel Dust asked, seeming slightly concerned.
Alastor looked at him wearily. "Does it really matter, my dear? I have a disorder, so I am taking medication to try and fix it." He stated, seeming exhausted just talking about it. "It's also why I try to date sometimes, you know? The doctor told me, while I was living, that if I dated, I would develop feelings for the person I was with. With the help of the pills, of course."
"That's..... Kind of horrifying, Smiles." Angel Dust replied, eyes wide.
Alastor cocked his head. "Whatever do you mean, my eight-legged friend?"
Charlie jumped in, saving Angel Dust from further explanation. He took the opportunity to drink. "What Angel's trying to say is that.... Well.... This isn't something that needs to be fixed." She told him, looking worried herself. "It's your sexuality, like being gay or being straight, or bisexual, like me. It's not something you can—or should—change. The doctor shouldn't have said those things to you." She reasoned with him.
A laugh track played, though with a bit more static than usual, and a break in the sound once or twice. "I don't see why he shouldn't have. It's his job. There's something wrong with me, so it's only natural he tried to fix it. Really, it could have been much worse. It was much worse for me, with others. The doctor was just trying to help." He assured everyone. To his dismay, they only appeared to be more appalled and terrified after his tidbit.
"That's fuckin' terrible." Husk dead-panned, shocking everyone.
Alastor's head whipped toward him in surprise, neck cracking. Husk rarely, if ever, participated in these kinds of discussions.
Alastor looked at him, confused, but imploring him to go on. His smile had grown shakier.
"That's like gay conversion therapy, Al, except for aromantic and ace people." He told him, taking a swig from a bottle of vodka. "And I think I know what some of those "worse" things are. Happens to... What's the name? LGBT? People often. It almost happened to me, but I laid that girl out flat before she got too far."
Alastor's ears were standing up straight at attention, eyes wide. The radio's song, while weak before, had cut off completely now, replaced with static. "How did you...?"
Husk shrugged. "We may be opposites in, uh, orientation, but we've got some similar experiences." He poured Angel Dust another martini as he spoke. "Part of not being straight, I suppose."
Alastor bit his lip, tapping a finger on the counter. "Yes, I suppose so."
Everyone was silent.
Suddenly, Alastor leapt from his seat, grabbing his cane and spinning it in his hand. A fast-paced, energetic jazz song sprung from his radio. "Well, thank you so much for the insight, darlings!" He began, waving an arm out. "I have much to think about! If you need me, I plan to be in my room or my tower! I shall see you all tomorrow!" He bowed with flourish, before uprighting himself and strolling away.
No one said anything as he climbed the stairs, simply watching him go, a sense of unease, but also accomplishment, hanging in the air.
"Well, that wasn't all bad!" Charlie exclaimed once Alastor had climbed the first set of stairs, now out of view, and likely earshot. "He opened up! That's fantastic process!" She grabbed Vaggie's hand in her excitement.
Vaggie smiled up at her girlfriend, amused. "Good job, babe. You did well."
She smiled sheepishly. "Well, all of you helped! Really, this is great progress! Let's watch a movie tonight to celebrate!"
"Ooooh, I've got a great movie we can-"
"I swear to Satan, Angel, we are not watching one of your god-damned pornos."
"Aw, c'mon kitty cat, have some fun!"
—
Alastor hummed along with the tune of his radio, opening the door to his room. Immediately, his eyes caught on the garish pill bottle sitting on his desk.
He grimaced. He really did not enjoy taking those pills, but had always done so in the hope he would soon have someone he could love, and someone who could love him back.
He didn't really need that though, did he?
Yes, he lacked a romantic or sexual partner to share feelings with, but he was still loved. The staff and guests of the hotel cared for him. They had all proved it in the little... Discussion they had just had. Did he need further evidence?
And, well, he supposed that he loved them back.
He walked across his hardwood floor, his dress shoes clacking against it.
He plucked the bright orange bottle from the desk, holding it between his fingers and examining it.
He scrunched up his nose in distaste, walking over to the trash bin. He tossed the bottle in, watching with a wide, giddy grin as it fell in with a resounding clunk.
He didn't really need them anymore, after all. Perhaps he had never needed them.
He didn't need their "help" anymore.
He was loved.