Work Text:
cht1
“So,” The voice that spoke was clear.
Well, as clear as it could be despite who was speaking. Stupid radio effect in the works, part of the persona. Vox hid his own amusement at the antict. Still, it demanded that all who would listen to hear his words with such refined skill.
Eyes of those unwilling onlookers focusing on the green, signature smoke that enveloped the duo, covering any peeping eyes in the very exposed studio they had settled on for this… announcement. Vox was more than thankful for not having any real organs that inhaled actual breath or he was sure he’d have been coughing up an absolute storm, or a power cut at the very least.
And what good would that do! How would they broadcast the show then?
Really, were all the fumes necessary?
Satan knows how long he'd have to fumigate this room for before he could use it again, the loss of income for a few hours would be an atrocity. What would Valentino say, green and pink did not mix into anything other than a gross mess and that was certainly not the vibe of the place. They had an image to uphold and there was no room for gree-
“Vox, my good friend,”
Speaking of which, there was the task at hand he should be focusing on. It was absolutely not what they had planned on doing but Vox knew better than anyone that this was all a ruse. Stalling for the inevitable. Like a perfectly timed ad break where it only showed when the most viewers were active. Maybe they should monetise this more, think of the opportunities! But the other overlord was in his domain currently, speaking to an oblivious audience, so he would let the other demon have his fun.
For a few seconds at least. This was Vox’s show afterall.
But he valued his limbs at this current moment and honestly he was taking the time to have a good look at his companion, Alastors form right now was not something he wanted in on. The only thing linked to this kind of look on the deer demon was pain and suffering, he would know, it was pretty much their whole song and dance.
Don't get him wrong, it was hot, like, the guy had tentacles and fuck knows what else appearing all around them, out of him! Not to mention the shadow dude that sorta looked like the radio demon just… less red, and more how should he put this… scary, dangerous in the way Vox couldnt contain how he really fucking liked.
And well, Vox was only so strong of a man while living, less so now. But it was hot in the way of ‘do not share that you're into this with the company you are currently with’ because if he knew anything about the old fashioned deal maker it was how easily repulsed and offended he could get, at basically anything. Especially when it came from Vox and Vox mentioning far too many indecent ideas of what they could get up with with Alastors tentacles. Now was not the time or place for that. There probably was never a place for it if the Radio Demon was involved, the TV presenter would respect that. He has been respecting it! That's how they had made it this far to begin with.
Even if the tentacle thing was, you know…
More importantly because that's what they were here for. Respect. And Vox respected the prick’s boundaries, most of the time.
“do we have a deal then?” Was finally spoken with a perfected sense of suspense from the radio host. Having his own applauding audience of other shadow creatures or whatever the fuck they were. Souls maybe?
Vox never asked, it wasn’t really on the table. Alastor was known for taking Overlord's souls as his own and the less questions asked, the less likely Vox would end up on the chopping block, literally. Not that Alastor could beat him in a fight. No fucking way.
He looked down to the red clawed hand in prime handshake position, before looking back to Alastors beautiful blood red eyes that were staring directly into dangerous projected eyes of his own that both knew had no effect on him. Brainrott was for the youth and something along the lines of the frequencies they ran at clashing in a way that made them immune to each other, drawn to each other, destined for each other, not that that was public information by any means. Maybe it should have been known with the matching, sadistic grins on each face, yet a glint of something else planned in the TV overlord’s own.
Honestly, Vox had expected more… pizazz. More rizz. More, showmanship. Wine and dined, literally. He fully expected to be part of the main course! Alastor told him he looked good enough to eat, literally, no less than 10 minutes ago, he sure as hell knew he would be up to the demon's tastes.
Or well, he hoped.
Although the deer did prefer something more old fashioned…
Anyway-
He rehearsed a final speech and everything!
Not that he particularly wanted to be eaten or anything like that, by Alastor of all sinners. But think about it, it was kinda… like a bonding experience. And maybe the only chance he would ever get to be inside of Alastor, that had to count for something! Something to show the masses just how devoted they were to each other and if Alastor was willing to ‘eat his heart out’ then everyone in hell had a lot more to fear with Vox willingly handing himself over like that. If Vox wasn’t afraid to bare himself to the Radio Demon he would in turn be the one feared! And no, it wasn’t a masochist thing, he wasn’t a masochist! Die on that fucking hill. He couldn’t exactly die twice now could he, it would just be a minor setback or something. Although Vox himself wouldn’t dare take a mouthful of the older demon, not an edible one at least, actually, he couldn’t think of anything worse! Rotting flesh wasn’t something he was into, and there was an almost endless list of things he was into. It was bad enough watching the deer demon eat other demons, not to mention other deers! Where did he even get them from? Because there sure weren't many, if any deers in hell as far as he could tell! Not counting Alastor of course.
Well maybe-
He was getting off track again.
Was this really what being sober did to him? Made him unable to have a coherent thought without it derailing.
The point was, uh, they were both entertainers through and through, this should have been a very explicit affair! Something paved in red and blue, new and old, voice and video. He wanted to be the talk of the century, and many more to come. If that wasn’t the point of this whole arrangement, then what was?
Because this was far more than just a binding of a contracted soul.
Only desperately stupid sinners would make a soul binding contract and Vox was anything but dumb! Especially not dumb enough to make a soul deal with Alastor, everyone knew how that ended.
“It's not a deal we're here to make. You can't just tease them like that, dear. That's not the question you ask.” Vox’s voice was devoid of any glitches, a more planned script of sorts than whatever Alastor attempted. He smiled wider at the other overlord batting his red clawed hand away along with the green smog.
“It's a promise.” Alastors ear twitched at the disrespectful tone and action. But it was all part of the plan. Vox knew he wouldn’t be killed, yet, this would be too entertaining for him to be killed over he knew the other overlord too well. Hopefully.
“This, is how you make a promise.”
With the flare of a presenter he got down to one knee, turning the expensive studio equipment to focus on just them from all angles, a glint in his smirk. He was sorta surprised it worked so smoothly, he really was getting good at this whole master of technology thing. Realistically he did it just to piss the Radio Demon off a little with how technically advanced it all was. Perfected performance as was expected because imagine how fucking embarrassing it would be if he fucked this up. His reputation would have a permanent Alastor shaped scar! Although, now he flicked through the scenes,his high quality cameras were slightly distorted by Alastors figure; leaving the duo just visible enough for all of hell to know who was on air. And if he had to replace a few cameras because the haze never left after this whole ordeal, so be it.
It was worth it for the twitch in the Dadio Demons facade. And fuck if that didn’t do something for Vox’s expansive ego.
“Only I get to make you smile like that. Bloodlust carries different on your face.” He knew Alastor harboured something for him, not really positive feelings in the way Vox held for him but certainly not negative. Amused perhaps. He knew the demon looked at no one else the same way he looked at Vox. He looked at him like he was his. Like he was the only other one in the room (he was).
“Only you get to die by my hand and I by yours. And I for one will enjoy every second of it.” Alastors eyes narrowed slightly at him.
“So why don't we make this a show for everyone to remember, my love?” Reminding everyone of this historical moment in hell.
Reminding everyone that they should have prayed to the heavens for the duo to have become sworn enemies or stayed as dubious business partners at best. He could feel all of Hell’s eyes on them, unable to look away, charging him up for something grand.
Coincidentally, a zap of light seemingly from the heavens itself and in the modern demon's hand appeared a small, rather gaudy box. Electrical current running rampant through it that if anyone else would have been handling it they would have met an untimely end. A frequency shared by only two of Hell's inhabitants, as far as Vox was concerned.
“This ring is a promise for what is to come. It will seal our fate, our future becomes one. This ring serves as a vessel for the bond we will share when the time comes, but for now it serves as a threat to all who dare cross us whether they realise it, or not.” Vox’s smile widened, more measured and calculated than Alastor was used to.
All of this was much more than the radio host was used to. But it was part of the arrangement was it not? And Alastor told Vox he had better surprise him, and the or else was implied. Because Vox knew just how much Alastor enjoyed the spotlight, despite just how on display he was.
That wouldn’t be a problem later in any way.
“Although, I sure hope someone would be foolish enough to do that. It would be a fun date, wouldn’t it, darling?” Alastor spoke, let out a laugh, followed by his own laugh track. Vox's face fell into something sweet, if only for a brief second.
“Because I'm not sure these lowly sinners quite understand just what this means.” The room's aura became that of something much more menacing.
Vox let him carry on his little display, more amused than worried. And definitely not looking at those tentacles which appeared again.
It wasn’t like this whole thing wasn’t Alastors own idea. He was only a man in life after all.
He had told Vox that he was getting rather bored lately. Mundane days of slaughtering, maiming, threatening. Making deals for souls and well… He needed something new, something else to be feared by. It's what kept him sane, the fear of others. It was what gave him power and allowed him to live, literally. And what was more fearful than two Overlords joined in holy matrimony? A mutual entanglement of sorts. If only it be for all the wrong reasons. Joining the new with the old for something unbeatable, unbalanced.
Upgraded.
A tide to change all of Hell and everything in between.
“So, Radio Demon. What do you say? Why don’t we show all of Hell what this really means?” Vox said as he opened the box to reveal a beaming light.
“Would you, Overlord Alastor, do the honour of marrying me, Overlord Vox?” The ring was not any less extravagant, a mixture of antique gold and something much more modern the deer demon couldn’t quite place.
It looked devine, as if from heaven itself. And maybe it was.
“My, my, Vox. Quite the show you put on. On your knees below me and everything. Any other situation and I would be simply revelling in your undoubted attention, my love.” He extended his right hand to the other demon, helping him to his feet with the same flare the other showed while going down.
“You know there's no one else for me in the whole seven rings, dear. Here we stand as equal, no need to dirty your slacks for me as of yet.” With that Vox took his other hand, placed the ring on the deer demon's suitable finger cementing the proposal.
“Save that for the finale!”
A promise for a future no one else wanted.
“And now dear viewers,” The Radio Demon continued with a puff of smoke as his mic appeared. Ring boldly on display atop the staff.
“our souls are to be entwined. Should you mess with either of us,” The room went dark once more, all sorts of symbols appearing around the duo.
“you face the wrath of both.”
“Did you really need to break my cameras for that?!” Was all that was heard as the signal was suddenly cut.
Yet after the show had finished with the shatter of a camera lense, no one seemed to have had any recollection of the events that transpired.
No thoughts or reminders of the engagement that had taken place for all of hell to see. Ring nowhere to be seen, nowhere visible at least.
Nothing outwardly changed. The duo still fought constantly, ending in more casualties and chaos than any conclusion. They still went on dates around hell, a restaurant here, an amusement park there.
But one day it all came to a stop.
A final battle where the bloodshed was a massacre.
Finally an end with no conclusion, Alastor's indefinite disappearance.