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Alastor fell back onto the floor, glaring up at Lucifer in clear defiance as his ears pinned against his head. Eyes narrowed as his smile faltered, his pupils thinned along with the scratching of his claws into the ground.
Lucifer seemed all too proud of himself, dusting his fingers on his clothes lightly while dangling a key in his hand and playing with it; making sure it was in Alastor's sight at all times.
"Any reason you were so keen on imprisoning me against my will, Your Majesty?" Snarled Alastor, in an effort to seem larger than he – currently – was. In retrospect he was actually larger than Lucifer in multiple different ways but this time was different altogether – having to look up, being in a clearly vulnerable position as well as almost trembling. No Alastor wasn't scared, but it was jarring to see Lucifer acting in such a way; in usual situations this would've been accepted but if Alastor was taking the short end of the stick he would much prefer when Lucifer was normal. Or as normal as he would get.
"Well, if you so wish..." The Devil began to speak, a mumble at first yet voice growing louder as he continued on. Alastor took care to listen and find any semblance of irresponsibility to jab at the other, since maybe that way he would be freed. "It's to make sure you never leave me- Us, like Lilith did."
"Us?" The deer didn't miss a beat, questioning the irregularity in the use of plural pronouns – he didn't know that someone else had assisted Lucifer in his imprisonment. His eyebrow raised and he took the chance of calmness to adjust his position into something slightly more comfortable as well as able, that way if something were to happen he could escape easily or with little worry.
It was then that Charlie peeked into the room, not with confusion but with understanding and everything clicked. The whole hotel had been seeming suspicious since around a week or two ago, moreso with Charlie and Lucifer than the others bit a clear change nonetheless. Husker had seemed almost pitiful in the way he'd look at the Radio Demon, Angel seemed empathetic, Niffty strangely distant and even Vaggie had been kinder in her actions – less suspicious as she'd apologised on a few occasions for nothing.
His claws indented into the floor accompanying the slight burn in his fingers as they were scratched – it was mild, so it only brought him more clarity. If he were to allow his emotions to control his actions like a puppet then he would be no different from his father – who allowed himself and many others to hurt Alastor's mother simply out of anger and the masculine fear of rejection.
Her head had disappeared just as swiftly as it had appeared, probably an effect of the glare Alastor was giving her but his gaze soon turned to Lucifer. The Devil's gaze had softened and he took to manipulation by acting like he cared, stepping closer to Alastor and kneeling down in one swift movement.
"There's no need for you to be so upset now, Al. Don't be selfish." Said Lucifer, hand moving to Alastor's cheek before almost being bitten by the demon before him. A helpless chuckle escaped him, as if trying to shake off the residues of guilt. "It's all for your own good, to make sure you don't leave us and hurt both of us. So why don't you make it easy and let me help you?"
The words had become forceful, in a way, coercing Alastor to become a pawn in The King's game to be played and then discarded when out of uses. The demon backed away slightly, dodging the second attempt of the Devil to grasp at him.
"Why don't you let me go, and I can go leave to do my own job as an overlord, Your Majesty?" It was an attempt, maybe for freedom maybe for normalcy yet still an attempt. Though it was probably an attempt to see if he could still trust the other.
"Is that a deal, Al? You do know I won't make any deals if I'm not getting something out of it..." Was his reply, "For example, your soul?" A jolt sent through Alastor, causing him to abruptly stand and walk in a slow yet panicked pace to the closest window in an attempt to open it– of course, while acting unhurried.
"What about, you let me free and I won't speak of this to anyone?" He lowered what he would've liked, but it was a small price for freedom. After all, the thing that Alastor loved most was freedom.
"No, not enough. I hold all the cards here Alastor, don't test my patience." His demands were growing impatient as his fists clenched and he spoke again, this time in a softer tone. "You do know I'm doing this for you, right Al? If I have your soul then no one else would be able to take it, and it would be kept safe."
But what Alastor wanted wasn't to be kept safe, but to be happy.
"Then, what if I were to be let free. And I would come back to the hotel every few days." A few seconds of silence made him decide to speak again, once again lowering his gains. "If I would be free but came back to the hotel every day?"
His fingers were clawing at the windows, trying to pry them open in a forced calm as he hoped for Lucifer to agree. All Alastor wanted was to be free.
"Alastor, is that all I'm getting here? I care for you genuinely, and you try run away from me?" Hands wrapped around his claws, feeling like countless bugs on his skin as he forced himself to stand still and breathe- Breathe for God's sake! "I try keep you safe, and you try to leave?" It was a whispered yell, steadily growing more and more aggressive as he went on and Alastor felt the need to cater to the other's need to try calm him down. A man's wrath is scarier than anything else.
The correct words for what Lucifer had been doing was keeping a bird locked tightly in a cage, clipping its wings to keep it by his side as an ornament rather than a living, breathing thing. And at this moment being treated as an animal was better than what Lucifer was doing. Because Alastor would much rather be thrown on the ground and abused while free than treated nicely and cared for while trapped like a bird in a cage.
Alastor had power, so maybe that would work?
"I'm a powerful person, what if I protect the hotel and make sure nothing happens to it both physical and emotional for my freedom?" He whispered, so desperately trying to keep up his weak facade of strength but failing the moment it sounded more of a plea rather than a deal.
"Oh, darling-"
"Don't you darling me, and tell me if you would let me free." He snapped slightly, but quickly came back to his senses as the grip on his hand tightened. He wouldn't apologise he wouldn't-! "Sorry, I was out of my mind for a second, Sir. You know I don't like physical touch."
"I'll forgive you, because you know exactly how forgiving I am." He whispered, slowly letting go of Alastor's hand yet not backing away. "You should remember this, because I've forgiven you for so many disrespects and you should be grateful... And, don't you already protect the hotel?"
Alastor finally breathed but not for long given as he tried to think, but ultimately gave into the eyes boring into the back of his head. He grit his teeth and with one last curse to God – silent, of course – he began to speak again.
"Then if I were to give you my soul for freedom?"