Chapter Text
It started out as a deal.
Just a simple, cut and dry little deal because lord knows that Alastor can’t give or get help without it. Well, it’s not like you could really blame him. If Alastor learned anything from his years in hell, it was that everything came at a cost. The sinners down here never did anything for free, and if they said they did, well know they’re just like the scammers you’d find in Europe. Offering free things, almost forcing it on you and then saying you have to pay when you try to walk away. Everybody in hell was just like that.
So why would the king of hell be any different?
Although, what Lucifer asked for in return wasn’t exactly what Alastor expected. With their mutual…animosity (hate is too strong of a strong word okay?) Alastor fully expected the snake to make him leave. Leave the hotel and Charlie. Or maybe even just stop interacting with Charlie all together. Not like the first option would be plausible as his deal kept him tied to the hotel. (Or should he say chained?)
Either way out of all the possibilities Lucifer could ask for, Alastor definitely didn’t expect him to say he wanted comfort. Wanted someone to hug and seek comfort in. Why he proposed that to Alastor of all demons he didn’t know. It would’ve made Alastor laugh if he wasn’t in so much pain from the damn angelic wound he was bearing. It was such an innocent request it was too hard to believe that it was actually genuine. Then Lucifer added to the proposal.
He would heal Alastor and offer his blood as a little treat to indulge in every so often and in return, Alastor would let him hug him. Comfort him when he was lonely without judgement. Healing and having access to a delicacy like angel blood in exchange for hugs and cuddles? Alastor really wasn’t sure who had it better.
But Alastor was horrifically delirious in that moment, desperate to stop the flaming pain of his wound eating at his flesh that he reluctantly agreed with the promise that Lucifer wouldn’t touch him outside the days when he was lonely and needed someone the most. The angel agreed right away saying his comfort was more important in the end. And proceed to add a little jab that he would rather fall again than touch Alastor outside his misery.
Really it was just an insult to himself, Alastor couldn’t have cared less. He knew he wouldn’t be the first person to seek comfort out of on any sinner’s list. If he was even there at all but for whatever reason, he was somewhere rather high for Lucifer. Or maybe the short king didn’t have many people which wasn’t that just grand?
Though the thing that threw Alastor off the most was that Lucifer didn’t utilize his end of the deal for weeks . It was to the point that Alastor was sure the duck-obsessed gremlin didn’t need any comfort and just said it to get Alastor to let him help. Although it didn’t add up to the added offer of his blood, which was actually held up. Alastor had felt he was getting far more out of the deal than Lucifer was with every time Lucifer would let him drink his blood. Even taking a few tiny strips of flesh in the process.
Turns out Alastor was just oblivious as hell. Or maybe he was just too distracted by the sweet, heavenly taste of angel blood to notice Lucifer was actually touching him longer than Alastor would ever let anyone besides Rosie and Mimzy do (Even though it was quite a stretch with Mimzy.)
If Alastor focused hard enough, he could just faintly recall that Lucifer would pet him, scratching at his ears just right at the base. A move that could disarm any threatening animal as the pleasure from the scratches bought out their trust and satisfaction. It was something Alastor has done with Husk just to piss the chimera off. But he knew the ex-overlord whole-heartedly enjoyed it if the countless times he had walked in on him and Angel together was anything to go by.
With Alastor either sitting or leaning down to have access to Lucifer’s wrist (no he didn’t do the neck. That was far too intimate and he wasn’t some damn vampire sinner) so they would both be comfortable, Lucifer had easy access to his ears and hair. And when Alastor had his fill, Lucifer would pull his hand away like he wasn’t just getting his own fill of the deal by indulging in Alastor’s fluffy appendages.
When Alastor finally did notice Lucifer was distracting him, he didn’t say anything. The overlord actually rather enjoyed being petted, letting someone relieve his itches and calm his nerves. Though you’d pry that information out of his cold, dead-dead claws.
Then came the day Lucifer outright sought Alastor for companionship. Alastor hadn’t and would never know what was bothering Lucifer. The qualms of one's own struggles wasn’t something Alastor really cared about and Lucifer only wanted silent comfort. Plus Alastor wasn’t allowed to poke at the king during those trying times and the deer didn’t have anything else to say that wasn’t some form of insult.
Lucifer had unabashedly thrown himself at the sinner as soon as he opened the door. Alastor was just barely able to keep them both grounded from the force and added weight to his own concerningly light weight. Slowly waddling his way to a couch he conjured up (he didn’t sleep so what the hell was the point of a bed?) Alastor sat down and picked up the book he had been reading before the snake visited. In no time, Lucifer was asleep, leaving the deer with a lonely snake to carry back to his own suite. So he did.
And those days repeated, and repeated. Alastor would drink from Lucifer and the king would pet him in return. Lucifer would seek Alastor out at night, and Alastor would let him hug him to his heart's content, returning him to his own habitat once he fell asleep.
It was a weird dynamic for sure, to bear witness to a touch-starved snake clinging to a rather touch-adverse deer. But slowly as the days passed by and the two became more comfortable with each other and the other’s started noticing, their new dynamic was wholeheartedly accepted. Encouraged even.
Soon enough it wasn’t a rare occurrence to walk in on Lucifer snoozing atop Alastor as he read or Alastor walking around with a little white snake wrapped around his neck like so boa. There have even been times Lucifer would be snoozing on Alastor’s head in his cockatiel form with the hair acting as some nest.
And with their dynamic, their feelings changed. No longer did they seek each other because of the deal, but rather because they trusted each other. Alastor would wholeheartedly accept Lucifer’s embrace at any time of day and sometimes he would seek Lucifer out himself. Alastor had never felt this content and comfortable with anyone in a long time. Not since his mother. Even Rosie wasn’t able to hug Alastor so freely.
Then Alastor felt his chain snap and shatter. It was so sudden that he froze, unable to process what just happened. His owner forgoed their contract. The relief Alastor felt was like no other as he felt his neck where an invisible weight once took place. He was free. He was free and was able to do whatever he wished. He was far too happy to wonder why his owner broke their deal. He was free and he’d make sure his soul would never fall into another demon’s hands.
The days to follow were the happiest Alastor had been in centuries, a blaring improvement that was so contagious despite the others not knowing why his mood was so different. Alastor was free and happy. Alastor found a new soul to trust. Alastor had made friends whether he acknowledged it or not.
Alastor was allowed to leave and never look back.
But he didn’t. Alastor had grown fond of the Hazbins he was surrounded by. He had grown accustomed to these enjoyable collectives and he would not leave. Who knew the radio demon could be so sentimental?
But those days were numbered as one sunny day someone came a knocking on the hotel’s door. That day Alastor’s world flipped upside down. That day a little seed was planted in his heart, burrowing in painfully.
That day, Lilith returned.
The utter joy in Lucifer’s eyes stirred something rather painful in Alastor’s chest, seeing it directed at the woman who left him without a word. How could he be so happy and not torn that Lilith deemed it okay to disappear for nine years, abandoning her family and then show up unannounced like nothing had happened.
Has he ever looked at Alastor that way?
No, Alastor concludes. He never has and never will.
It was confusing. Confusing and disorienting to the overlord as to why this hurt so bad. Why with every sappy look Lucifer gave Lilith, a knife drove itself into Alastor’s chest, twisting ruthlessly and leaving him trembling and clutching his suit like he was having an intense heartburn. Why it got harder and harder to breathe with every laugh the royals shared, everyone else long forgotten.
Alastor felt used. Felt betrayed. How could he not have realized that Lucifer wanted nothing more than the illusion of his estranged wife. He was lonely and needed someone to replace the hole Lilith left. What better candidate than Alastor? It was probably because Alastor was so tall that Lucifer found any resemblance between the two and the fact that Alastor didn’t do feelings. How could he fill Lilith’s place without any strings attached? By using the one denizen who detested him the most and would be unlikely to form any connection beyond friendship and companionship.
Lucifer was in love with Lilith and he always would be. No one could compete with the first woman. A woman who was built to be perfect, beautiful, powerful and kind. How could Alastor compete? How could Alastor have been so foolish? How could Alastor go and fall in love with the king of hell who’s heart so clearly belonged to someone else?
Alastor didn’t know and all he knew was that he had to move on. To forget his majesty and the warmth and kindness he shared. To act like he wasn’t affected by Lucifer’s actions. To act like he wasn’t just used and tossed aside, forgotten as soon as Lilith came sauntering back in.
Surely he’d move on and one day he could smile and converse with Lucifer like nothing happened. One day he’d be able to watch Lucifer and Lilith dance as if no one else was in the room with a smile, glad that his friend was happy. One day he could love and care for his majesty without his heart shattering at the sight of Lilith.
And maybe one day, he would stop coughing up those bloodied daffodils.