Archive of Our Own

The cuckoo clock in the hallway struck ten.

“Excuse me, Vox? May I come in?” Charlie’s fingertips clutched to the frame of a door, peering into her co-host's room. It’d been six months since he’d become the benefactor for the new hotel, a strange man who always wore a smile and knew exactly what to do. A dependable figure and a rock that made the anxiety of this scary venture feel all the more possible. Somebody impenetrable that knew exactly what to do. Which made her discovery all the stranger.

From the doorway, all she could see was the slumped-over figure of the man with a bottle of brandy clutched in his hand. Even from where she stood, she could smell the scent of booze. A guest room in name. But there were telltale signs of the man making himself slowly comfortable over the months. First only a filling closet. Then Classical movie posters, a stuffed shark, strung lights over his bed, and even a small aquarium with tropical hellfish to keep him company.

Vox groaned, tapping the back of his head as he shifted in his seat. Only the peek of the pale blue light from his screen was visible where Charlie stood.

“Princess… you shhhouldn’t be in here.” Vox released the bottle, slapping the wooden table hard as his body trembled and shook trying to meet her eyes. It was obvious to Charlie he’d had one too many when he ended up falling out of his chair instead with a thud. Charlie closed the door behind her and raced inside. She knelt by Vox to lift his body off the floor, one arm held around his shoulder and the other supporting his screen.

“Vox! Are you alright?”

Dancing cyan eyes tried to take in the dancing overlaying shapes of the princess sitting beside him. He giggled with a cyan smile full of sharkish teeth.

“Since when were there… sooo many of you Priiincccesss? You s-shoould… go. I’mmmm not fit t-to… meet with you right now.” Slurred speech became accented by further giggles, his hands clasping at her thigh sending a surprising chill to the Princess. It was the boldness of the touch- so different than the cold formality that she’d gotten used to from his frequent pats on her shoulder over the past few months.

“There’s only one of me, Vox. You’ve juuust had a little too much to drink! I don’t think I’ve ever seen you let loose this much. Is something wrong?” The warmth of the Hellborn woman was enticing, drawing Vox into her like a siren’s call. His monitor fell to rest against her shoulder, adding a weight that she didn’t know what to do with. Nervously, she cradled his back and supported him while he leaned against her.

“I’m sooo e-e-eehh-ex---tired Charlie,” he whispered. Whether it was the warmth of her body or the feel of her arms around him, Vox reached up to trace a finger across Charlie’s cheeks with his drunken unsteady gaze staring at her intensely. A heavy sigh spilled from his lips as his free arm wrapped around her waist.

“You’re so… beautiful. Makes sense… being a Princess and all. So bright, warm, everything I pretend to be. Eeeeeverything I’m not. I don’t-- I don’t… know how you do it.” The screen buried into her shoulder, while the hand pressed against the swell of her cheek traced down her neck.

Charlie felt her own heart pounding in her chest, even if the smell of brandy on his breath was unpleasant. Charlie became intensely aware of the differences of their bodies. The firm and cold body, the flexing muscles when he moved, and especially the size of him. Even when she felt hot by his proximity, his naturally cold body brought her back down.

“What do you mean, Vox?” Charlie asked. “You’re the most dependable guy I know.”

Vox buried his screen further into her shoulder, squeezing her waist. Harsh points dug into her side, but she bore it silently. Moments later it relaxed.

“I’m a fake… a fraud. Nothing but a ruse. I’m selfish, jealous, and never satisfied. I’m compleeeeeee-tely rotten inside! Like a disgusting little mushy spot in the middle of an otherwise perfect apple. Worthless garbage! I pretend to be my brother, my PERFECT brother. Because everyone loves him...” A sharp hiccup made the man bounce in her arms. Charlie's hand pet his back, stumbling over the large ports hidden beneath his clothing. She wanted to know more…

“But I wished somebody loved me.” If the blood pounding in her ear had been any louder, Charlie would have missed that fragile sentence.

“Everyone has parts of them they’re not happy about, Vox. Even your brother. I’m sure he’s not nearly as perfect as you think he is. He just hid it, the way you hid all the things you don’t like about yourself.” Charlie assured him, brushing her hands over the back of his head. The faint warmth from his screen brought a strange fluttering to her chest. Or maybe it was the knowledge she’d become privy to something she never expected.

“Princess… you’re far too kind. If you knew the real me. You’d hate my guts.” Those technicolor eyes drew closer. Before she knew it, the weight of the man had her toppled over, laying on her back with his hands blindly groping around the carpet. A knee pressed between her legs, riding up to her knees as he haphazardly hovered over her.

Charlie’s heart pounded in her chest, eyes wide in shock as her mind struggled to make sense of what was happening. Not once had Vox ever looked at her like a woman. He’d called her beautiful and even suggested using her beauty as a way to draw sinners, but…he’d never given her any reason to become so self-aware.

“Vox…?” She whispered the name.

There was a visible struggle when he tried to lift one hand, then just fell closer with his face coming far too close to hers, she could see the pixels in the screen and feel the heat from his monitor. The artificial light cast over her face, draping it in a shade of blue.

“If only you knew… how many times I’ve imagined you like this on my bed. Just like this. Usually far less clothed. You always have that same innocent look too. Then sometimes you’re mad and disgusted with me.” The screen fell, burying into her shoulders. “As you should be. I could never be worthy of somebody--- hic like you.” Vox inhaled deeply, drawing his hands into the nest of her golden hair. They easily sunk within the voluminous head, running through her hair. “This is such a nice dream...”

A dream.

It felt a lot more than a dream to her! Panic had her heart beating a mile a minute, especially when she had a man now lying on top of her saying things she knew he’d never say when sober. Despite it all, she found herself burying her face into his shoulder, rubbing his back reassuringly.

“It’s… a surprising thought, I admit. But it doesn’t-- bother me.” On the contrary, it made her face feel unbearably hot. “You might be surprised. You said it yourself, Vox: I always see the best in people. If you showed me the true you, I bet I could find it in him too. All you have to do is… show me.”

“Show you… I’ll think about it. I trust you, Charlie. If anyone could… it’d be you.” The weight on her body intensified the moment his whole body went slack, knocking the breath out of her. Thankfully the Princess of Hell was far more powerful than she looked! With a little squirming, she managed to crawl out from under him, nervously brushing her hair out from her face. She stared at the sleeping figure of the man laid out on the floor, then buried her burning face into her cool palms.

She wanted to scream! But she couldn’t possibly let him sleep here on the floor.

So Charlie rolled him over and laid him out on his bed. She removed his vest in hopes of making him more comfortable. But even that singular layer made her squeak from embarrassment and utter an apology to the sleeping man.

“If you knew… how many times I’ve imagined you like this on my bed beneath me. Usually far less clothed. The innocent look you make too, though sometimes you’re mad and disgusted with me.”

Now she could only imagine herself in that same predicament, unclothed. And the unmistakable desire to carry those thoughts further once she was alone...

“Excuse me, Angel Dust?”

Try as she might, Charlie spent the next couple of days unable to put that night out of her head. Vox was acting as though he didn’t remember a thing. But Charlie remembered. Every time his hand brushed against her shoulder, whenever his gaze lingered on her for longer than a moment, she could feel that same pounding in her heart. A woman Charlie’s age was well aware of infatuation when she experienced it, but she’d never thought she’d carry such an intense torch for her business partner.

So she decided to ask the closest friend she had who wouldn’t try to skewer him instantly: Angel Dust!

The porn star was sprawled out on the bed, one arm thrown over his eyes as he tried to disassociate for a while after his long hours. Fat Nuggets was nestled in the crook of his arm nudging against his cheek. He didn’t bother moving as he called out to Charlie.

“Door’s open! I hope you got something hard with you, I ain’t in the mood for activities unless I’m high or drunk. And you found my last stash.”

Charlie slipped into the room, hands woven together in front of her as she gave the hotel resident those puppy dogs.

“I’m NOT here for an activity Angel Dust! Iiiiii wanted your advice. Um.” She raised her hands tapping her index fingers together. “About… a boy.”

Angel Dust immediately sat up, sending Fat Nuggets scurrying from the sudden movement of his owner. They ran over to the edge of the bed, staring at the newcomer in the room. Angel Dust shifted to sit on the edge of the bed, that crooked smile with the golden tooth glittered with his clear excitement.

“The Princess, AND A BOY! Hah! Did you suck his dick already?” The question was asked with a finger gun. Charlie’s face immediately flushed red, her palms outstretched as she shook her head in denial.

“NO! Not yet! I mean-- He doesn’t know I like him yet! But he likes me, I think. He was kind of drunk when he confessed so maybe he was just horny and I was the closest thing available. Not that I was thinking about sucking his dick! We haven’t kissed yet but if we started dating then you know I am not exactly again--”

Angel Dust strode across the room, pressing two fingers against Charlie’s lips to shut her up before she talked his head off. He already regretted the careless comment. His shoulders raised and fell with his sigh, chin raised while he appraised the Princess. Angel pinched her cheeks, observing the ruddy color, felt the beat of her heart, and tilted his head to watch the glimmering shine in her eyes.

“Yeesh, you got it BAD Princess. So-- Who is it? Is it one of the guests at the hotel? The staff? OH! Is it James? Or maybe that Foxxy guy who checked in recently? Uh, what’s his nuts… Serin! Yeah! He’s cute, kind of depressing to be around tho so that’s a total boner killer.” Angel set a hand on his hip, sucking through his teeth.

“Actually….” Charlie began, “it’s… Vox.”

“VOX?!” Angel exclaimed, the name immediately sent a visceral feeling of disgust to the flat-faced man. “Princess! Trust me, you don’t want to get involved with him. He’s Valentino’s fuck buddy. He has been sitting by watching that asshole do Satan knows what for years! That and he’s a two-faced ASSHOLE! He’s nice around you, but you should see what he’s like around his employees.”

Charlie hung her head. “I already know what he’s like. I’m… well aware actually. But Vox has been changing Angel. He got Valentino to cut down the hours at your job lately, and he even forced him to get an intimacy coordinator, remember?”

Angel clicked his tongue, turning his head away. “Yeah, well-- That don’t mean nothing! Doesn’t make up for all the shit he’s put me through over the years.”

Charlie took Angel’s hand in his, brushing her thumb over the back of his hand.

“I know Vox has put you through a lot. But the fact he’s changing means he’s not completely awful inside right? I believe in him. He’s also done so much for this Hotel, we wouldn’t have half of the nice equipment in this place if it didn’t come out of his pocket.”

Angel Dust sighed, finally sparing her a glance. Begrudgingly, he put a hand in her head and rustled her hair.

“You really like this guy, don’t ya?”

The guilty way she looked away and blushed told everything. Angel tried to swallow the bile of disgust in his throat. Conflicted between helping his friend who was old enough to make her own decisions and his inability to forgive Vox, he weighed the two.

“If you hate the idea of me and Vox getting together Angel, I’ll give up on it right away. But-- A part of me… wants to be the one to unearth the gentleman I know must exist in there. I’ve seen it.”

With a throw of his arms into a shrug, Angel Dust broke away and sat down on his bed.

“Alright. Fine! So we’ll start Operation Get the Princess Laid by Mr. Plasma. Sooo, he said he liked you while he was drunk? I got that right?”

Charlie’s whole face was illuminated with Angel Dust’s blessing, and she sat on the bed beside him. She was practically vibrating with excitement, her hair bouncing as she nodded with such vigor.

“That’s right! He also uh--” That nervous twitch returned, her index fingers now winding in a circle around one another. “Pinned me down to the floor and said he imagined me like that beneath him with l-less clothes.”

Angel Dust threw one leg over the other, leaning back with one hand keeping himself propped up.

“Open and shut case to me. He likes you.”

“S-so… what should I do? Vox hasn’t tried to ask me out or anything.”

Angel Dust blanched.

“Uh-- suck his di-- No I guess that’s a little too bold for you. Why not just tell him first that you like him? Try flirting with him a little to get in the mood if you have to, climb onto his lap. Oh!” Angel Dust snapped his fingers. “And make sure to stare at his lips like you want him to kiss you! Guaranteed that if that man wants you, it’ll work!”

Charlie repeated his advice quietly to herself.

“Flirt, climb into his lap, stare at his lips. O-oh what if he tries to kiss me then?!” Charlie exclaimed, clapping her cheeks. Angel Dust cackled in response.

“What’s the problem? Then you make out with a TV! Oh, you gotta let me know if he has a dick by the way, or if it’s like… an HDMI cord or something down there. Whenever I ask Valentino he gets fucking pissed.” Not that it ever stopped him.

Charlie opened her mouth to protest and smacked Angel Dust’s arm lightly.

“ANGEL! I’m not going to tell you something that isn’t your business! Whatever Vox has down there I’m sure is lovely and perfect!”

“Wonder how you’re gonna handle taking pictures of that kiss during a wedding. Can’t take it from the side if he just disappears. Gotta get the back of somebody's head,” Angel Dust mused out loud, cackling to himself. Mortified, Charlie grew redder and grabbed the pillow from the bed, smacking Angel Dust with it. The spider quickly raised his arms to act as a shield only laughing even louder.

“Angel!”

“Hold on babe! I’m almost done with this level of Subway Surfers! Move your face!”

Knock knock

The sound of knuckles rapping at the door stopped the flurry of pillow smacks against Angel’s arms. He had not learned his lesson at all, tears streaming from his eyes.

“Charlie? Are you in there? It’s Vox.” The voice came out muffled on the other side. Angel Dust and Charlie exchanged a knowing look. After getting Angel with one last smack, she threw the pillow back onto the bed and answered the door.

“Vox! How diiiid you know I was in here?” Charlie asked, forcing her biggest smile.

Vox looked up from the phone in his hands, shutting it off and immediately putting it in his pocket.

“Papermint said he saw you heading for Angel Dust’s room. I sent you a text but I guess you didn’t get it. We have a new check-in, do you have time to give him the orientation?” Vox leaned to the side, making brief eye contact with Angel Dust who immediately snubbed his nose at the Co-host. Charlie on the other hand hugged his arm, dragging him away from the room.

“No, I did not! Thank you for your help, Angel! I’m going to greet the newcomer!”

“No problem, toots! Good luck!”

“We have a total of five more check-ins this week—which is great—but the load is becoming a little more than you can handle on your own, Princess. You’ll need to hire more to make sure everyone gets the amount of attention they deserve.” With a sheaf of paper held in Vox’s hand, he glanced over the report Papermint had written up for his and Charlie’s weekly meeting. An office that had once been made for personal interviews and other more private therapy sessions had since been transformed into a sanctuary meant for the two alone.

There were personal touches of the two of them everywhere. Brightly colored stickers, a whiteboard full of marker drawings, movie posters, a model car, and of course, a large projector that could conveniently be used for movies too.

Charlie had been distracted during this meeting, using crayons and a clipboard to draw a picture  of what Vox could swear was Charlie and him. She often drew the people of the hotel, so he didn’t pay it much mind, but her silence was concerning. He gently poked her shoulder with the butt end of his pen to gain her attention.

“Princess?”

The clipboard went flying out of her hands, her red eyes wide as saucers when she met his.

“OH! Vox! I’m sorry I didn’t hear you! What-- What were we talking about?” The forsaken item smacked against the wall, muffled by the plush carpet below. Vox followed the trajectory with an impressed hum.

“I was suggesting hiring another therapist to handle the new check-ins. You’re taking on too much lately. Am I so boring you’re already tired of talking to me?” Vox smiled ruefully, shaking his head. Charlie immediately sat up, twisting her body until she was facing him and gripping his shoulders as she took dramatic offense at this joke.

“No! Not at all! I was-- uh busy thinking about something else!”

“Thinking about what, Princess?”

Panic settled in, with Charlie’s fingers dancing on his firm shoulders. It was as solid as the day he pinned her to the floor. Awareness of the man in front of her, with his gaze so close and steady, made her suddenly self-conscious.

“Do you remember… what happened that night when you got drunk?”

By the raise of his brow, the answer hit her like a brick wall.

“No.” A fist came up to press against his lips. “I’m sorry if I acted in any way that was inappropriate toward you Princess. Is that why you’ve been acting so weird lately?”

“NO! No no no! To be fair, you warned me to not come in but I barged in anyway! You didn’t do or say anything inappropriate! All you did was hug me a little bit!” Charlie’s face flushed at the memory, yanking her hands away so she could fidget with her sleeves instead. More nervous laughter bubbled forth. “Which! You can hug me anytime! I hug everyone in the hotel! No reason you couldn’t hug me too!”

The more she spoke, the higher the brow rose until it was peeking over the top of his screen. A brilliant smile full of teeth answered her.

“I see! You got cold, didn’t you? Probably pushed me away or maybe I accidentally cut you? You're not hurt anywhere are you?” The concern shocked her, freezing in place when he took her hand carefully between his claws. Each settled only on the fabric of her sleeve or hovering above her skin so he couldn’t poke her. He pushed back the sleeve with care, even trying to avoid applying pressure against her arm. Charlie was so surprised by the action, that she quietly let him inspect her arm, then the other.

Charlie watched the way his brows knit together while he searched her hands for signs of injury. Their eyes momentarily met when he caught her staring. He immediately smiled and she looked away, flustered.

“No… that’s good. I’d hate to be guilty of treason. Besides, you have such beautiful skin. It’d be a tragedy to leave a mark somewhere.”

Beautiful. He called her skin beautiful.

Charlie yanked her hands back, an action so sudden Vox couldn’t loosen his hands in time, causing a claw to cut the top of her left hand. Immediately, a stinging pain assaulted her senses when the air met the wound, eyes wide in shock at the sight of the blood seeping through her hand. But worst of all, there was panic in Vox’s eyes who immediately scooted back pulling himself as far from her as possible.

“SHIT! I’m so sorry Princess! Wait right there! I’ll get a first aid kid and… uh! Vaggie, she’ll be able to patch you right up.” Vox rose to his feet, rushing for the door. He only got two steps before Charlie snatched his wrist with her right hand, clutching his sleeve.

“Wait, Vox! It’s O.K! It’s my fault. Besides, when you hurt somebody the next thing you should do is try to make amends so…”

Vox whipped his screen back around, the cyan pupils wavering with obvious distress. He intentionally was trying to pull his hand away as far as possible from her own.

“So…?” he asked.

“Won’t you bandage this for me?”

“But… I’m the one who hurt you.”

Charlie smiled. “I know, and it was an accident. You didn’t mean to, and I don’t want you to be afraid to touch me. Please…?”

The tension in Vox’s shoulders fell away. When Charlie felt confident that the panic was gone, she trusted him to return and released his sleeve.

“I won’t be long, Princess.”

With that promise, Charlie watched him leave the room. Her attention shifted to her still-bleeding hand. She raised her hand to lick the wound clean. When she turned her palm over, she found smaller nicks drawing beads of blood. Those she traced with a faint golden magic sealing up the wounds instantaneously.

“This will be our little secret...”

The others? She left them open deliberately, apologizing to Vox in her head for the little deception. All was far in love and war after all.

Vox returned a good five minutes later. Charlie could hear the rushing footsteps of a man moving like a devil was on his tail before he even opened the door. It made that pang of guilt in her chest all the sharper, but with it came a warm bloom of what felt like sunshine.

“I’m sorry that took so long! Angel Dust decided to play a prank with me and led me on a goose chase. James was also in on it… but! I found it!” Vox presented the fruits of his search. A small medical kit! Vox took his old seat on the couch, opening the kit on the nearby coffee table. He removed the antiseptic spray and took her injured hand within his.

“This will sting a bit,” he warned.

Charlie covered her smile with her free hand.

“I promise I’m a big girl Vox. I can handle it.”

Vox swallowed heavily, his face turning light blue in embarrassment.

“R-right. You’re right.” Avoiding the gaze of the Princess, Vox brought the nozzle closer. The initial sting made Charlie wince. Vox clamped his hand tighter around hers in response. The reveal of her smile relaxed him long enough to wipe the cut clean. He quietly picked out a bandage to lay over the cut, using the back of his claws to smooth out the adhesive bandage on top.

“Your hands are so pretty...” Charlie broke the silence. Vox’s screen grew brighter as his mouth held slack, eyes blinking rapidly. Only then did she realize she spoke the words out loud. The hellborn slapped her cheek with her free hand, trying to hide the heat rising to her face. “Sorry! I bet a man doesn’t like to hear compliments like that. But-- they’re nice.”

“Oh! No!” Vox answered, pulling his own hands back to settle into his lap where he could attempt to hide them. “I wasn’t expecting you to say that after I hurt you with them. I think your hands are nicer, I can’t get over how small they are.”

Charlie brushed the hair out of her face, gathering a thick lock between her hands. Vox watched those little hands glide over her golden hair, fixated on the bandage on the back of her hand.

“They’re… a normal size for a girl’s hands! Like any other hands even.”

“Even then, they’re small and warm. Like you. Every part of you is so pretty Princess, whomever is chosen to become your husband will be a lucky man. Or… does the Queen of Hell choose her husband? Not that he would be any less lucky of course,” Vox mused out loud.

Tucking up her knees, Charlie hugged her legs and settled her chin on top of her knees. It served as a natural way to hide the tiny smile on her face, giddy that the conversation had somehow naturally come in that direction.

“I choose my husband or wife. I grew up watching my mom and dad who were madly in love with each other. I know Dad wouldn’t settle for me finding anything less.”

“Oh…? My father hated my mother so I’ve never really seen what a functional happy family is like. What was it like?” Vox spoke the depressing fact of himself casually, looking away as he put away the antiseptic spray.

“Your dad hated your mom?! Why?”

After setting the kit aside, the garbage left behind for the bandage was tucked into his pocket for taking care of later.

“That’s… well-- it’s not a happy story Princess. I’d rather not bring down the mood, I’m far more interested in hearing about your parents. Tell me what it’s like to be Charlie Morningstar,” Vox insisted, easing back into the couch. His hands came together on top of the clipboard, weaving together as he gave Charlie his full attention.

“That’s the first time you’ve said my name...”

Vox paused, tilting his screen to the side.

“...I guess it is. Do you dislike it?”

Charlie shook her head.

“Let’s make a deal, Vox! I’ll tell you about my parents and in return...” She stuck out her hand. Vox stared at the extended hand, puzzled, but turned back to face her so he could hear her out. “You’ll stop calling me Princess! You can only call me Charlie, Char, or any pre-approved nickname from here on out!”

Vox laughed.

“Is there some penalty if I slip up and call you Princess again?”

Charlie sucked through her teeth, narrowing her eyes at the Overlord across from her with his smug smile. She wracked her head hard, knitting her brows as she put far more effort than she needed. To her surprise, a cyan claw stretched out and pushed away a lock of her hair.

“We don’t need to make a deal, Charlie. Tell me about your parents if you want to. I thought you’d hate it if I got that impersonal with you is all. I’d love to call you by your name.” The smile Vox shared was unlike the smile he gave the guests at the hotel or on the TV. It was gentler, warmer. Something for her alone.

The princess had underestimated the effect that hearing her name from his lips would have on her. A sweet sting of pain made it hard to breathe, and all she wanted was to hear it again. The hand she held out wavered, then with renewed determination she spread out her fingers with another vigorous shake of her hand.

“I’ll tell you about my parents! And if you call me Highness again then you have to tell me a story about your parents!” A toothy smile peeked between her lips, feeling like she hit Vox with a gotcha.

“And why would I agree to that, Princess? That seems a bit unfair. You’ll have to sweeten the pot with more than a single story about your parents.” Vox leaned forward, the illumination of his screen dimming instinctively to spare her eyes from the light.

Princess.

She couldn’t hide the disappointment in those two syllables, curling her fingers and surrendering like a house of cards. Vox caught her hand before she could return it to her side.

“I’ll owe you a story about my parents every time I call you Princess. And in return, every time you call me Mr. Vox, you will owe me a story about young Charlie. Are those terms you’re willing to agree to?” There it was again. The sound of her name was as enchanting as a bell, recreating that odd fluttering in her chest. She clasped the hand, shaking it before he could change his mind.

“Deal! My dad was a big goofball! He would host these puppet shows for me, read me bedtime stories with characters all with different voices, and he’d always make me pancakes with the faces of different animals. My mom however? She was… kind of intimidating to be honest.” Charlie brushed her hair out of her face, refusing to let go of the hand that she shook Vox’s hand with. He didn’t make a motion to part them. Instead she could feel him shifting his hand to fit their fingers together more.

“Intimidating how?”

Palm against palm, her hand was tiny compared to his. She squeezed it without fear, trying to impart her warmth on the other.

“Mom was tall, beautiful, charming, it felt like there was nothing she couldn’t do. She also loved her people greatly. She was my role model just like Dad! Whenever I tried to steal her shoes from the closet, it always felt like I would never grow into them—literally or metaphorically. I’ve grown a lot since I was a little girl, but I still feel like in some way I’m… lingering in my mother’s shadow.”

Once she started, everything simply fell from her lips. Her second hand came to cup the hand holding hers to transfer her warmth to the back of Vox’s hand. Charlie didn’t dare to look Vox in the face at that moment, or she would have noticed the intense white blush crawling over his screen.

“Your mother has had millennia to grow into the Queen she is. You’re… how old now?”

“A little over two hundred years.”

“Two hun---” Vox cleared his throat, “W-well… you look good for your age! Not even half of a millennia there and you’ve taken on such a brave project as this! Attempting something everyone else is too scared to do. Even when everyone else says you can’t… you keep pressing on, Princess. Not everyone else has the strength to keep forging ahead in those circumstances. I admire that part of you. I crumble too easily, I want the approval of those around me and for people to like me. I could never do what you do.”

Charlie’s ruby eyes met with Vox’s cyan. Her heart flipped while a strong desire welled in her. She wanted to be even closer to him, but she couldn’t tell if that desire was metaphorical or… physical.

“You truly believe that, Vox?”

His smile stretched, lips parting to speak then shutting as his hands fidgeted with hers still locked with his. His second hand came to join and settle on top of the back of her palms.

“I do. I… can I be honest with you, Charlie?”

Charlie. Did her name always sound so beautiful?

“Of course, you can tell me anything Vox!” Charlie assured him, shifting in her seat. She sat up, leaning in as she drew their joined hands together. Vox eased back, keeping the distance between them constant. There was some disappointment, but she refused to be dissuaded.

“To be honest, Charlie...” Vox began. “I thought this thing would have failed spectacularly. I wanted to make it into a comedy mocking the royal family and only wanted the front-row seat to film it all. I thought your idealism was cute but… ridiculous. Even when I called you Princess, it was always done sarcastically in my head.”

A silence settled between the two. Charlie sat back down, hanging her head to the side.

“I… well. I knew that from the beginning Vox. I’m...” She took a deep breath and squeezed the hands clutched in her tight. “So damn proud that you’ve come so far to admit to something like that! But, you forgot something important, Vox!”

“Y-you knew?” Vox sucked in a breath, and let it out with exasperation. “Is what I forgot… ‘I’m sorry for doubting you at first, Charlie’?”

A smile bloomed on her face.

“No! I mean, yes it’s good that you apologized and I forgive you! But you called me Princess, so now you owe me a story!”

“Ah---” Vox’s face went blank, tilting his screen to the side. “I was talking about how I called you that, I didn’t call you Princess right now. Besides… it’ll be a real mood killer. I doubt you want to hear about it.” Vox removed his outermost hand, returning it to his side. He tugged on her other hand, trying to pull it free without hurting her.

“Do you not want to talk about it because you are afraid it’ll make me sad, or do you not want to talk about it because you don’t feel comfortable talking about that sort of thing?”

“...”

Vox tugged on his collar again.

“The former. I mean, nobody wants to hear depressing stories about other people's families or their lives right? They call it trauma dumping! So-- Prin--- Charlie. You should ask for something else. And you’re going to gloss over how low I thought of you, Charlie? You should have more pride in yourself.”

This was another new side to Vox. She’d never seen him flinch away like that—like he was scared of being vulnerable or opening up to somebody. His knee bounced, his eyes narrowed, and there was a coldness that had never existed there before. It was a rejection, but it was also the closest she ever felt to the actual man beneath the facade.

Charlie crawled forward, a motion that initially made Vox flinch back and fall back, catching himself only barely with his hands.

Just like Angel Dust told you, Charlie. You did the flirting, now to sit in his lap and then… stare at his lips.

Charlie pushed on, wrapping her arms around his waist while he was unable to push her off trying to keep himself upright. With eyes wide as saucers, he swallowed and stared at Charlie as her chin rested against his chest.

Vox’s whole body then locked up, becoming still. The warmth of her body banished the ever-present chill his body experienced. The contrast of her soft body against his drove him nuts. The smell of her shampoo, the way her knee slid and her thighs fell against him, and the gentle press of her breasts against his chest filled his head with so many sensations that his mind went blank. Static filled his screen, resembling a wild snowstorm.

“Vox…? Are you O.K?” Charlie tapped the edge of his screen, leaning in close to see if she could find some reset button or other way to bring him back. “I didn’t break you did I?! Vox! I’m so sorry! Is this the right button?!”

Her fingertips slid along the bottom of the frame, searching for the power button when the face had returned and her face only a few scant inches apart from him. Vox could see his faint blue light casting a shade of fresh color over her features, and his immediate reaction was to grab her shoulders and hold her away from him.

“P-PRINCESS! W-what are you doing?”

“You looked like you were trying to pull away from me just now. It made me feel lonely. I-- want to become closer to you Vox, I want to know the things you feel like you can’t talk about. I want to get to really know you.” She wasn’t so naive to catch that he became uncomfortable for one reason or another when she hugged him. The reaction was visceral, and even made her self-conscious. The shame made her unable to meet his eyes.

Realization hit Vox like a sack of bricks. He pulled her toward him again, this time taking the lead to wrap his arms around her waist. By fitting her knees between his, there they could remain with enough distance for him to keep his mind. Charlie rested her head against his shoulder, returning the hug.

“I’m used to people hating it when I vented about the bad things in my life. I know you’re not like that Charlie! Yet, I still struggle to silence that inner voice telling me not to.I trust you however. So I will impart this unhappy little story of mine. It might make you uncomfortable, but I feel like it will give you a good idea of what my relationship with my mother was like.” Although he couldn’t see her face, while he was wrapped in this sweet warmth he felt as if he could afford to be vulnerable. At least, around this strangely pragmatic woman with starry-eyed ideals. The golden head nodded against his shoulder, her hands roaming the expanse of his back with no signs of wanting to break the hug; at least for now.

“When I was a kid, I thought I was lucky. I could stay out all night long and my parents never said a thing. Not even my older brother was allowed to stay out past nine! It was one of the things I held over him since he was the favorite. I hated being at home, so I’d stay with my friends until I was kicked out most nights. And on this particular night, I left a friend’s around ten making my usual walk home. I’ve always loved night walks when I’m alone. I feel like... I don’t have to pretend to be anyone. I can just be… me. Not what my parents wanted me to be.

“But that night I wasn’t alone. A man started walking next to me, asking me a lot of questions. My dad always told me to shut up if I started talking about myself so I got really excited. Answering each question with a lot of detail!

“He praised me, calling me intelligent, brave, and mature, all kinds of things my parents never did. It was the first time an adult was so proud of me, so I happily opened up to him more. He let me talk and talk, and I was SO happy that an adult had bothered to listen to what I had to say! I felt like the smartest kid ever, telling him all those ideas that felt groundbreaking back then.”

Vox dryly swallowed, staring into the void. The clarity of age made him realize how terrifying that memory truly was. Charlie remained completely still, clutching the fabric of Vox’s shirt as she felt dread lingering in the back of her mind. All she wanted was to reassure him, even as the story came and was spoken like it happened to somebody else.

“I know better now, of course. I was a lonely kid, I spent so much time in my head that I thought all my navel-gazing made me a deeper thinker than anyone else. But I was just… sad and depressed. It felt amazing to have this big grown adult talk to me. I didn’t even think it was strange how often he touched me. First on my head, then my shoulder, he’d start rubbing my arms. That’s about the point when I started to think something was off.

“Luckily another adult came by. When he asked if the man was my father, the guy ran off. The other adult took me straight home and talked to my mother. I remember them getting angry and starting a fight with my mother, I’d never seen anyone so upset on my behalf before. I was worried I’d done something wrong. I don’t remember what it was they said, but I was banned from going out late at night after that. My mom was upset that I had another adult yell at her, and I hated the fact I lost the one special privilege I had.”

Charlie had no words. Her hands clenched the sweater in her hands. Vox’s hand rested softly on top of the back of her head, brushing down her thick mane of golden hair. With no words spoken, he buried his screen into her hair while his artificial heart pounded against his chest in a hidden anxiety.

“That’s… awful! Was your mother not worried at all about the fact that something horrible could have happened to you?” Charlie inhaled deeply, hugging him tighter. Vox’s shoulders rose and fell.

“Not really. She would have said it was my fault for talking to an adult. My childhood is depressing. My family all hated each other and were completely loveless. Watching you and Lucifer actually… makes me feel so envious of you but happy at the same time. I’m sure that’s how you became such a sweet woman.”

Charlie pushed back, bringing her face close to his screen. In response, Vox fell back until he hit the back of the couch, his owlish gaze watching the princess.

“C-Charlie?

Before, he could excuse the hug as being friendly. It was different now. She pinned him to the couch, with her long golden hair falling over like a curtain to block out the rest of the world he had nothing in his world no longer except her face illuminated by his natural light. But it couldn’t pierce the pure red of her eyes.

“I’m still the daughter of Lucifer, you know. I’m not as innocent as you think I am.”

Vox’s gaze shifted to the side, but Charlie only bent forward to follow the line of his gaze. A hand settled on his screen, turning it to face her again.

“When you got drunk the other night, you told me that you faced the world with a mask. Everyone does. I do too. I have sides of me I don’t show everyone else either, Vox…” Charlie brushed her hands through her hair, tucking it over to one side of her shoulder as she pressed her chest against his. Bright red horns sprouted from her head, sharp black nails now lining her fingertips as they ran the length of the screen.

Charlie felt those claws grab her by the waist, and the bravado that Charlie held fell apart in an instant with her squeaking and scrunching her eyes tight. A poke from below earned a surprised squeak from the belle. Vox let out a breathy laugh.

“You’re not very convincing, Princess, if you immediately fold as soon as I start touching you. Who are you trying to convince, you or me?” Vox asked, while his hands continued their ascent with his claws walking across until they held her ribs just beneath her breasts. His fingers traced a path beneath them, never coming into direct contact. The red color blooming on Charlie’s face told Vox everything.

“I’m trying! I was supposed to stare at your lips until you kissed me but I messed up! But I really like you! But the moment you start touching me my whole body betrays me and I just want to do whatever it takes you make you keep touching me...” Tears crested in the corners of her eyes, distressed that her plan went astray.

The breakdown was unexpected. Vox held her there, face blank. When a woman cried, usually he understood why. But it was never because they LIKED him. Usually, he would not hesitate to throw somebody down and bed them then and there. But Charlie?

With Charlie, he was gentle as he guided her to lie down on the couch. The grip on her wrists was firm but gentle as he pressed it above her head. His screen came down until her forehead was against the space between his eyes. Unlike that night when he was drunk, Vox was far more precise about where he put his weight and his limbs. She could feel his hips meeting with hers, and with his balance, he could brush his hand over her belly right over the hem of her suit. Slow methodical movements that at most traced the bare skin beneath—and each time brought a new shock of cold that set her whole body on fire.

“I had no idea you felt that way, Princess. You underestimate your charms too. When you look at me like that, it makes me want to give you anything you asked. But what exactly do you want from me?” Vox’s voice spilled into her ears as he shifted and breathed against the shell of her ear. Charlie latched onto the bowtie around his neck, pulling it loose, and threw it to the floor beside her.

“I want you...” Charlie whispered.

The couch creaked as he shifted his weight, cupping her cheek with his thumb pressed against the bottom of her jaw to incline her to look up at him. Charlie matched his gaze, lips parted in an open invitation to kiss her.

It was tempting.

His thumb traced along her bottom lip, pulling it back. Charlie stretched her own hands out, tracing her fingertips along the frame of the screen that housed his face. With the slightest pressure, he urged him to come closer. With the removal of his hand, Vox’s lips came down to replace them. It started rough, with that electric blue tongue gliding against her lips and teasing between them. Charlie half expected it to go further, but against her expectation, he broke it right off. The light of his screen had gone almost completely dark.

Before Charlie could ask him what was wrong, he kissed her again. Gentler this time, sighing and easing into the dance. Like a game, the two took turns to shorten the distance, leaving chaste pecks between kisses while Charlie’s arms wound their way around Vox’s neck.

“I like you too, Charlie. I have for a long time. It’s… exceedingly tempting to take you here and now, but my desire to court you properly somehow wins.” Vox’s hand traced down her waist, squeezing her side. Another whimper escaped the princess, melting under the touch like all the resistance had been sapped out of her as long as his hand lay there.

“But you promise you will?”

It was Vox’s turn for his face to flush, with a light blue color coming over the screen. His electronic eyes blinked, a crooked grin veering to one side of the screen.

“Trust me, there’s going to be a very fine limit on how long I can keep my hands off you, especially if you keep looking at me like that. But-- you’re the Princess of Hell. What could you see in me that makes me stand out against everyone else? You don’t need my power or my money. Lucifer has that in spades to give you.”

“WHAT!” Charlie exclaimed, smacking her hands against his chest. “Vox! Do you believe that is your best quality?”

Vox cocked his head to the side, arching a brow. “Well, yeah. What else is there?”

Charlie fell back, rolling her eyes into the back of her head. All along, she never realized she had such a major case of self-esteem issues standing by her side this whole time. Her fingertips danced against his chest, lips pursed as she contemplated her next action. A light bulb went off as she cupped his screen again, pulling him close.

“I’ll tell you if you tell me what you like about me! And if you do, I’ll pay for the first date.”

“I like paying for the date Charlie. It’s how a man shows off in my time. Being a provider who can shower his girl with things is the best way I know to show love.” Vox argued, smacking his second hand back onto the couch. His eyes narrowed, protectively holding the right.

“Then I’ll ask you to spoil me extra! I want some new clothes.”

Vox grinned.

“If you try those clothes on and model them for me, then it’s a deal. You have to get at least one outfit just for me.” Vox cleared his throat. “Maybe even a pair of undergarments for… later.”

“Deal!” Charlie agreed with another giggle, a bright hot flush returning as she kicked her feet from beneath him. Vox turned his head to watch, snorting a laugh. But the blush on his screen intensified to an off-white. His eyes angled into affectionate squints.

“I!” Vox began, playfully booping Charlie’s nose, “think you’re the cutest damn thing, for one. Hearing you squeak when I touch your waist is a new favorite! You’re sweet and resilient. No matter how much shit you take you never let it break down who you are, but you don’t roll over and let people walk over you, either. You’re so strong Charlie, in ways I have not seen in anyone else. Like a snowflake, a one-of-a-kind! I want to see your dream come true so I can see that smile on your face. And it makes me feel even a little better about myself, because I know that since I’m born so broke and awful, it means I’ll never leave you.”

The strength of that vow was imparted as his hand squeezed the palm he held. Charlie pulled her fists together, shaking them. A sunny smile bloomed on her face, a smile that Vox knew he was the cause of that made it infectious.

“OK! SO! That was sooo good Vox! I wanna kiss you! But it’s my turn. Aaaand if you, OH! I don’t know… wanna kiss me right after?” The question was presented while her index fingers poked together, “You can. Just saying.”

“You know… I might! As long as what you have to say is good. If I feel like you don’t reaaally like me then...! I MIGHT have to give your kisses to Mr. Sharky over there.” Vox nodded toward the doll sitting on the table. Charlie gasped.

“No! Not Mr. Sharky-Steal-your-man! I don’t stand a chance!” A moment of shared laughter was followed up with a whisper, “You were joking right? You’re not going to kiss the doll instead of me, are you?”

To answer her, Vox bent down and kissed her again. His claws threaded through her golden hair, brushing the back of them against her cheek as he let this sweet kiss linger. By the time they parted, the Princess’ eyes were shining.

“I feel like things will always be O.K when you’re around. Even when I’m about to go into a full-blown panic attack, you know what to say to calm me back down again. You’re smart, you know how to charm the pants off.. well, everyone! Sometimes I kind of worry you do that too literally,” Charlie confessed with an added color to her face. “You balance me in a way. You can’t help but see the worst in people and I the best. I’m far too honest, and you know how to keep an ace in your sleeve. We make a wonderful team.”

Vox leaned into a familiar pattern that Charlie knew how to follow, embracing the overlord as their lips danced and played against one another. A dance that had led to Charlie wrapping not only an arm but hooking a leg around the Overlord’s waist while he held hers up to pin their bodies together.

Bzz bzz

The vibration of the phone in Vox’s back pocket stole his attention. As he weighed the options staring at the glassy-eyed look of the Princess who was getting thrown into the throes of lust as he was. Any longer and his will might truly break. Vox took the distraction and got off of her and onto his feet to check his phone. A text message from Papermint, with a new disaster to clean up downstairs.

“It seems Pentious has brought in yet another doomsday device and blew up a wall. I’m going to get in contact with some contractors to fix it up before the holiday cold freezes us all to death. I’ll uh...” Vox turned the phone off, giving Charlie a gentle smile. “We’re discussing our first date when I get some time. Maybe I can… come by and we can continue where we left off?”

Charlie brushed golden hair out of her face, grinning. “I’d like that.”

“Perfect! See you tonight, Charlie.” Vox winked, shooting her a couple of finger-guns as he made for the door. Charlie waved him farewell, waiting for that exact moment when the door closed. Listening to the sound of those footsteps as they echoed down the hall.

The moment it was safe?

“YES!” she cried, bouncing her feet against the floor. Charlie yanked her phone out of her pocket. With urgency she sent a text message to Angel Dust.