Chapter Text
Angel panicked at the sight of Vark charging towards him. Vox's shark was very well trained and could kill anyone in the blink of an eye. Vark was a bit slower on land than in water, so Angel knew he could outrun him. He quickly scooped up Fat Nuggets and booked it back to the hotel. For years Angel viewed that place as a joke, but now it was like his safe haven. The only place he was free from Valentino. A place where he could hang out with Cherri without worrying Valentino would find them and overreact.
Angel casted a glance over his shoulder and gasped in horror as he realized that Vark was still following him. Angel ducked and weaved between sinners, his chest hurt from breathing so hard. It wasn't too much longer before he managed to burst through the hotel doors, breathing heavily as he slammed the doors shut. He placed Fat Nuggets on the ground and turned to face all the staff in the hotel. “Vox's shark is chasing me!” Angel panted out. “I think Vox is really pissed at me. Or Valentino wants something! I can't go back guys! Not on my day off!”
“Have either of them called you?” Vaggie asked immediately. She was already pulling her spear out, her wings flared a bit as she glared at the door behind Angel.
Angel shakily pulled his phone out of his pocket. He had a few texts from Valentino, but they were texts telling him to not come in tomorrow. He frowned and then looked back towards the door.
Angel looked back at the staff before opening the door for Vark. The shark walked in, panting a bit heavily but didn't attack anyone. He sniffed around before he pawed at Angel's leg. He stared at Angel for a second before he looked over his shoulder and saw Alastor. He padded towards the Radio Demon who flattened his ears. He took a step back, but Vark was undeterred. He pawed at Alastor's leg as well before he looked between the two.
“We need to follow him.” Angel decided. “Valentino sent me a text saying not to come in tomorrow, and Vark doesn't like leaving Vox if he can help it.”
Charlie and Vaggie both exchanged a worried glance but nodded their heads. “Okay.” Charlie agreed. “I'm sure Vox would be very appreciative if we returned his pet, we might even get a commercial out of it!” Charlie's eyes twinkle a bit. A commercial from Vox would be exactly what they need.
Alastor rolled his eyes but didn't object. Husk and Niffty exchanged a glance but both sighed in defeat as well.
“I'm bringing my knife.” Niffty's eye gleamed as she pulled out her little angelic steel blade. Everyone, except Alastor, flinched back as she stared at them all.
“I thought we took that away from her!” Charlie shouted.
Niffty giggled a bit before she skipped out the door.
“Babysit her.” Vaggie glared at Alastor. “I mean it.”
Alastor huffed but followed after Niffty with no complaint. He seemed oddly exhausted, his ears were drooping slightly and his eyes had bags under them. Charlie gave Vaggie a worried glance before they followed Alastor.
Vark seemed to realize they were going to follow him and ran out to be in front of them all, leaving Angel and Husk alone in the hotel.
“Go ahead.” Husk waved his hand a bit as he spoke. “I'll stay here in case they try to do something to the hotel.”
Angel blushed a bit before he nodded and rushed out after the others.
~☆~☆~☆~☆~☆~
The idea that Vox was trying to trap them died when Vark led them into Vox's penthouse. The kitchen was flooded and there was blood all over the counters and broken glass everywhere. Vox was a lot of things, but he wasn't really one for having a dirty area. His office was disorganized as Hell, but it was clean in every other sense of the word. Alastor's ears were pricked as he carefully looked around. He inhaled deeply and was met by a strong smell of blood. Alastor worriedly looked back at everyone else before he began to follow the scent. It didn't take long for the other to catch a wife of blood too. They broke out into a sprint and found Vox almost immediately. He was laying on his bedroom floor, his shirt was torn up, his screen broken, and he was bleeding from multiple wounds. The most alarming injury was the one on his shoulder. It looked to be a bullet wound and the bullet looked to still be inside. Everyone exchanged uncertain glances. His chest was barely moving, who knows if it was an angelic weapon that was used on him
“Should we kill him?” Angel asked as he watched Vark slowly make his way to his owner. He laid down beside Vox and whimpered a bit before closing his eyes.
Niffty heard ‘kill’ and was moving towards Vox faster than anyone would have anticipated. She stared at the red and blue blood before she grinned manically and raised the knife above her head.
A loud wheeze from Vox echoed around the room before Niffty could move. She startled back a bit and Alastor took this chance to pluck the knife from her hands and pick her up by the back of her dress. “I don't think that would be wise.” Alastor hummed, but his heart was twisting. He didn't know why he was feeling protective suddenly, but he could only assume he was worried for Niffty trying to kill Vox.
“Let's take him back to the hotel!” Charlie was already beside Vox, trying to pick him up while not causing him anymore pain.
“Are you crazy?” Vaggie and Angel demanded at the exact same time.
“No!” Charlie shot back. “The Hazbin Hotel is all about letting anyone stay no matter what. A chance for them to be redeemed or to be safe! Vox may even want to be redeemed one day, but we'll never know until he heals! Now help me, Vaggie!”
Vaggie was weak for her girlfriend, so she had little issue with obeying Charlie.
“Actually, I would like to bring him back to the hotel.” Alastor's voice sounded like a growl before he coughed. “I… feel like it's important I do this for him.”
“Why?” Angel narrowed his eyes. “Don't you two hate each other?”
Charlie and Vaggie raised a brow and looked to Alastor for an answer, but he was stuck staring at Vox's body. Watching the blood slowly exit the wound.
“When Vox and I first met… we had a promise.” Alastor explained carefully as he moved towards Vox. He pressed a hand on his wound before picking up his unconscious former friend. “I promised I would care for him whenever he was unable to.”
Alastor couldn't let anyone know Vox wasn't born a man. He didn't know much about gender identity or privacy, but he remembered how upset Vox was when he found out. “I'll dress his wounds and let rest in my room. I don't sleep much.” Alastor pulled Vox closer to his chest. “I need to do this for him.” Alastor fixed Charlie with a heavy stare.
Charlie bit her lip before nodding her head. “Only if you're certain, Alastor, and remember; no harm can come to Vox in the hotel. You have to take care of him.”
“I will.” Alastor promised before he let the shadows consum him, taking both him and Vox back to the hotel.
Charlie looks around before sighing. “Let's take Vark back too. He should be able to help with Vox's anxiety when he wakes up.”
“Good idea.” Vaggie agreed.
“I'll bring him!” Niffty darted straight over to Vark's side and climbed onto his back, grabbing his collar and grinning wildly. “Let's go! To the hotel!” Niffty ordered the shark.
Vark had no issue taking orders from Niffty and quickly ran in the direction of the hotel.
“Niffty! Wait up!” Angel called out, running after the pair.
Charlie smiled before grasping Vaggie's hand. “Come on, let's go.”