Chapter Text
It was a quiet day when a strange and scrappy-looking cat appeared at the front entrance, sneaking in unnoticed.
The cat, with its bright red fur and equally bright red eyes, made its way through the lobby. It seemed to be searching for something, or perhaps someone. As it wandered around, it eventually stumbled upon Lucifer’s room.
The cat's ears perked up as it heard low humming coming from behind the door. Without hesitation, it pushed the door open with its paw and entered the room.
Inside, Lucifer was sitting at his workbench, working on a project for the hotel. He’d taken to decorating and designing different areas of the building as a way of helping. He turned around and looked up in surprise as the door to his room opened, only to be met with empty air.
Confused, he turned back to his project and jumped in shock when his eyes landed on the strange cat sitting on his sketchpad and surrounded by various other sketches.
“Um, hello there.” Lucifer said, eyeing the cat with bemusement.
The cat stared up at him blankly, mouth pulled into an impossible grin, its short tail flicking back and forth. There didn’t seem to be anything behind its eyes. No thoughts, head empty, was what Lucifer was picking up.
Lucifer smiled and reached out a hand to pet the cat, he probably shouldn’t considering he didn’t know where the cat had come from or if it had rabies. Hopefully it didn’t, he was probably immune to rabies but didn’t want to test the theory.
To his surprise, the cat didn't flinch or run away. Instead, it purred and nuzzled its head against his hand, its eerie grin never wavering.
“Not that I don’t appreciate some company, but where’d you come from?” Lucifer asked. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but the cat looked eerily familiar.
The cat didn't respond, of course. It simply sat there, grinning from ear to ear as if it were privy to some cosmic joke that Lucifer wasn't in on.
"Alright, then. Keep your secrets.” Lucifer joked. He’d never seen the cat and was certain the only pet currently in the Hotel was Angel Dust’s pig demon thing.
Since he didn’t want to kick the cat out, Lucifer decided “Well, it’s way past bedtime and I think it’s about time to sleep. So, you’ll stay with me tonight.” Lucifer decided.
The cat continued to purr, seemingly pleased with the decision.
Scratching his head, Lucifer mused aloud, "I've seen a lot in my time, but you, my friend, are something else. I don’t know if I wanna call you cute or not. But one thing's for sure, you're one of a kind."
Scooping up the cat from his desk, Lucifer made his way over to his bed and placed the cat on one side. “Looks like I’ll be sharing my bed.”
Laying down next to the red cat, Lucifer felt it curled up against him, the soft purring lulling him to sleep.
The common area was abuzz with the usual morning chatter when Lucifer made his way downstairs, the weird red and black cat from last night cradled casually in his arms. The residents quieted down; their curiosity piqued as they turned their attention to the pair.
"Good morning," Lucifer greeted with a smile and small wave. "This little guy decided to pay me a visit last night," he said, gesturing to the cat in his arms by lifting it up, which surveyed the room with its unsettling grin.
“I let him stay with me since he popped out of nowhere last night.” Lucifer continued.
Charlie, ever the enthusiast for new faces, stepped forward with a bright smile. "What's their name?" she asked, reaching out to gently pet the cat, only for the cat to turn its head away from her.
Charlie bounced on her toes, eager to get a closer look. "It's so cute! Have you thought of a name yet?" she asked, her voice filled with the warmth she offered to every new arrival.
"Not yet" Lucifer replied with a shrug. “I'm open to suggestions, though," he said, looking around at the residents.
A few eager voices called out from the crowd with suggestions ranging from 'Inferno' to 'Mr. Whiskers', each name eliciting either a chuckle or a contemplative hum from Lucifer.
The cat, for its part, seemed indifferent to the naming process, content to simply bask in the attention and the warm rays of sunlight streaming into the room.
Vaggie, with her arms crossed, eyed the cat warily. "Where did it even come from?" she asked, voicing the question that was on many of their minds.
Lucifer shrugged, a playful glint in his eye. "Who knows? Maybe it's a stray, maybe it's a spy, or maybe it's just a lost soul looking for a bit of company," he mused. "Whatever the case, I think I’ll be keeping him."
"Quite the sneaky one, popped up out of nowhere."
“You know… this cat looks a lot like Mr. Smiles.” Angel mused after a few seconds of watching the cat. “Creepy grin and all.”
Lucifer gasped, “That’s why he looked familiar!” He knew the cat reminded him of someone and now he knew why.
As the residents of the hotel gathered around, still murmuring about the curious new feline in their midst, Alastor entered the room. He paused momentarily; his gaze fell onto the peculiar feline. "What's all this, then?" Alastor inquired, a note of mild curiosity coloring his tone.
Lucifer, with a casual tilt of his head, introduced the silent guest. "I had a surprise visit from this little guy," he said. "I think he’ll be the hotel’s newest resident.”
Charlie, unable to contain her excitement and chimed in. "Alastor, don't you think it looks just like you? It's got your smile and everything!" she exclaimed, gesturing toward the grinning creature in Lucifer's arms.
Alastor leaned in, scrutinizing the cat with a critical eye. Indeed, there was a certain resemblance in the unnaturally wide grin and color palette. "Hmm, I suppose there is a passing similarity," he conceded, his curiosity giving way to a flicker of annoyance as he straightened up.
“Passing? He’s got your monocle boss.” Husk said with a barely concealed smirk on his face.”
Lucifer caught the shift in Alastor's demeanor and couldn't resist the urge to tease. "Indeed, the resemblance is uncanny," Lucifer remarked with a sardonic grin. "Charlie might be onto something. Perhaps we should name it after you, Alastor." Lucifer teased, holding the cat up slightly as if displaying the resemblance.
The residents snickered, finding humor in the situation. Alastor, however, was not amused. "I'm quite certain there's no need for that," he said, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice. "After all, a cat is a cat, and it could never uphold my name."
But Charlie was persistent, her laughter light and infectious. "Oh, come on, Alastor! It's funny! Look at that smile! It's like he's your little brother or something."
Angel Dust and Husk burst out laughing at Charlie’s comment.
Unable to resist one more tease, his voice rich with humor. "In honor of this striking similarity, I hereby dub thee... Cat Alastor." He announced the name with a flourish, as if bestowing a grand title upon the feline.
The room erupted in laughter, Cat Alastor seemed unfazed, its grin unwavering as it accepted the name with regal composure.
Alastor let out a soft, resigned chuckle. "Very well. If the cat must share my name, let it be a testament to my... undeniable charm," he conceded, taking the jest in stride.
Lucifer chuckled at the interaction, enjoying Alastor’s annoyance. "Well, Cat Alastor here certainly has made itself at home," he said, his gaze flitting between Alastor and the feline. "And it seems to share more than a few of your... distinctive qualities."
Alastor gave a noncommittal hum, already moving past the group to help himself to a cup of coffee. "If you say so, Sire. In any case, I doubt it matches up to me,” he said over his shoulder, leaving the residents to ponder the strange connection between the Radio Demon and the silent, grinning cat.
As the morning wore on, The Cat became the center of attention, its likeness to Alastor a topic of hushed conversation and playful teasing. Meanwhile, Alastor himself remained aloof, content to let the others marvel at the new mystery guest while he dealt with his own happenings.