Chapter Text
The sky outside was still navy blue—too early to be awake by any reasonable teenager on summer vacation’s standard—when a portal blinked open above Takuma’s bedroom rug.
It shimmered faintly in the dark, light pulsing like a heartbeat before Charlie stumbled through in a flash of cherry-red slack and heels. She landed with a soft grunt, catching herself on the edge of the desk.
“Shh,” she hissed to no one in particular, already waving her hands. “We’re being stealthy.”
Vaggie stepped out next, far less chaotic but infinitely more tense. She scanned the room like they’d broken in and were going to get caught any second now.
“This is breaking at least three rules regarding going to the mortal realm.” Vaggie muttered, eyes darting around the dark room, noting the sea themes and the silent lump on the bed. “You didn’t even get your dad’s permission, did you?”
Charlie winced. “He taught me how to portal so I could visit. He would’ve said yes.”
Vaggie crossed her arms. “So that’s a no about getting the King of Hell’s permission on bringing a mortal to his realm.”
Charlie ignored her and tiptoed over to the bed. “Look at him though,” she whispered, kneeling beside Takuma’s bed. “He looks so cozy and cute, like a little kitten.”
Takuma, tangled in blankets with his manatee plush half-falling off the edge, grumbled in his sleep and rolled over. His curls stuck to his cheek, a bit of drool escaping his mouth, and his glasses sat neatly on the nightstand beside his charging phone.
Charlie beamed and looked up at Vaggie. “He’s going to love this.”
Vaggie looked unconvinced. “You’re about to wake up a mortal with your full demonic self, though very beautiful, it might actually traumatize him babe.”
“It’s summer vacation!” Charlie grumbled and stood. “He doesn’t have anyone to hang out with besides dad, and dad’s busy with the adoption paperwork—a lot goes into that apparently when he’s making him a prince—he’s all alone here, he shouldn’t have to be.”
“Besides, he’ll be with us at all times, what’s the worst that can happen?”
Famous last words.
Unbeknownst to either of them, the ripple of Charlie’s portal had set off wards that neither of them could detect. Wards created by someone who had been meticulous in their creation. Someone who had no intention of leaving strange entities in his charge’s bedroom.
The shadows in the corner of the room thickened, stretching like spilled ink. The temperature dropped just so.
Neither woman noticed until a figure stepped into the room—tall, antlered, and fully in his demon form.
Alastor calmed down just slightly when he saw who had intruded on Takuma’s sleep. He watched the two bumbling around, Charlie grabbing Takuma’s sketchbook and art supplies before gently putting them in a suitcase. Vaggie helping begrudgingly with Takuma’s clothes.
Alastor cleared his throat.
Vaggie spun around, if she’d had that angelic spear, it’d be at his throat, he’s sure. “Alastor-”
Charlie almost tripped on the rug under her heel and her arms pinwheeled. “Alastor! What are you doing here?” she stage-whispered.
He smiled pleasantly, that was his question, but instead he answered. “Just using your portal. I saw it open and figured—why not tag along?”
“You’re not invited!” Vaggie also stage-whispered, pointing a finger at him and then the portal. “Get out before the kid wakes up and screams. If the King of Hell finds you near his kid, you’ll be dead!”
Alastor tilted his head and stepped just close enough to make a point of being menacing. "My apologies. I assumed anyone could join when you leave a portal open willy-nilly," he hissed.
At that exact moment, Takuma groaned. “What. The fuck. Is going on?”
The room froze.
Then Takuma sat up, eyes barely open, hair a complete disaster. He blindly reached for his phone first and tried to look at it, his groggy face illuminated by the screen.
“Oh… I’m blind.” He mumbled, let the phone drop and bodily reached for his glasses.
When he put them on, he looked at his phone, saw that it read 5:45AM and glared up at the intruders.
“If you’re here to kill me, make it quick, death is the only reason to be awake this early.”
Nobody moved yet, and Takuma was finally taking in the people in his room. He recognized Charlie immediately and he’d seen pictures of Vaggie.
The other person in the room though…
Takuma blinked and looked up—and up—at all that red, the sharp yellow grin, and the burning red eyes staring back. Takuma didn’t think he’d be able to know if it was Alastor when he finally got to see his demon form, but honestly, he knew instantly.
The two stared at each other in silence, Vaggie was tensing for inevitable screams of fear and Charlie was getting ready to placate and calm everybody down, when Takuma opened his mouth.
“That’s a lot of red.”
Alastor wasn’t sure if he should be offended or impressed by his reaction to his demon form. His grin only widened.
Takuma yawned, loud and unapologetic. “Okay, so. What I’m hearing is… no one’s here to kill me and you’ve all broken into my room before six in the morning for reasons still unclear.”
Charlie stepped forward, hands up in peace. “We were going to bring you to the hotel! Surprise vacation, part two!”
Takuma blinked at her. “Surprise. Yay.”
Vaggie opened her mouth, then closed it, then asked suspiciously, “You’re not scared of the seven feet of red demon standing in your room?”
Before Takuma could answer that he couldn’t be scared of someone who cooked scrambled eggs and made him jasmine tea, Charlie beat him to it.
“I’m here! I would never let anything happen to Takuma! Besides, Alastor’s not going to eat our resident baby Morningstar!”
Takuma was awake now. “Baby?!”
Alastor tasted blood as he bit his own tongue not to laugh. There was something delightful about watching the boy treat demon royalty like they were mildly annoying door-to-door salesmen.
Meanwhile, Charlie had squished Takuma’s cheeks between her hands, grinning down at him. “You’re just so cute with your big blue eyes and your curls and those round cheeks!”
Takuma flailed, trying to pry her off—only to discover she was just as strong as Lucifer. He reached behind himself, grabbed a pillow, and smacked her square in the face with it.
The pillow made a soft thwump, knocking her back half a step if only from surprise. She let out a dramatic gasp, clutching her heart like he’d mortally wounded her.
“You hit me!” she cried, though she was clearly trying not to laugh.
Takuma squinted at her. “You woke me up, on my summer vacation, before six. I restrained myself.”
Charlie looked like she was about to retaliate with more squishing when—
“Ahem.”
Vaggie stepped between them like she was breaking up two toddlers in a sandbox. Her expression was stuck between fond exasperation and plain stress.
“Alright, fun time’s over. Can we please focus for five seconds? Do we have everything? Shouldn’t he wear a glamour? None of this is authorized and we can get into a lot of trouble!”
She then pointed a finger at Alastor, who immediately gave off mock offense. “Plus, we’ve got this hijueputa hanging around practically waiting for us to look away so he can eat!”
Alastor made a slow show of brushing invisible lint off his sleeve. “I’m flattered you think I’m the most dangerous thing in the room.”
Takuma grumbled and pushed himself out of bed. “I’m not going anywhere without brushing my teeth first.” He said and stomped passed them all and into the hall to go use the bathroom.
Charlie went and grabbed the suitcase. “And I’ll finish packing!”
Alastor narrowed his eyes at how she was just throwing clothes into the bag. He’d have to come back and make sure Takuma at least had under garments.
When Takuma returned, he looked more awake. His hair was tamed into a low ponytail, the curls that didn’t stay framed his face and forehead. He had his toothbrush, toothpaste and hair products bundled in his arms. “How long am I staying exactly?”
Charlie came over to relieve him of his bundle of toiletries. “Hopefully forever soon! But for now, we’ll say just a few weeks… maybe a month.”
Takuma glanced over at Alastor, who shrugged. He didn’t know any more than Takuma did at this juncture.
Vaggie unfortunately, caught the exchange and glared at them both. “You’re way too calm with a demon looming over you.”
It was Takuma’s turn to shrug. “Once you see the King of Hell in his full form, not much else is scary.”
Alastor hummed under his breath, and for a moment his smile deepened, shadows curling slightly at his feet. “It’s almost disappointing. I was rather looking forward to a bit of screaming.”
Takuma just chuckled and waved away the shadows that clung to his clothes. “Try again after I’ve had breakfast.”
Alastor’s grin only grew, and the two shared a secret look before Charlie came between them with the suitcase in hand and the messenger bag holding his art supplies.
“Great! We’re packed, I’ve got the portal set to land in the lobby and a stack of pancakes with your name on it back at the kitchen!”
Takuma quickly stepped over to his bed and grabbed his white throw and his plushie, before walking over to join them. Vaggie wrapped a protective arm around the mortal’s shoulders, making Alastor twitch.
The moment they stepped through the portal, Takuma’s senses were assaulted by multiple things at once.
First was how red everything was, and rundown too. Things were mismatched, like the bar in the corner didn’t match anything around it. Not like that’ll matter for him. The chandelier looked ready to fall if someone coughed too close to it, and there was a railing near it so that could very well happen.
Takuma had been under the impression with how Lucifer spent money, this place would look… maintained.
The other two things he believed fit together. How warm it was and how, even with the smell of old wood and other homie scents in the air, you couldn’t get rid of the smell of sulfur. And when he said warm, he meant like how you’re sitting right in front of the air conditioner on a hot summer day and should feel cool because you’re inside, but the heat had hit midday and had crept into the house, leaving you uncomfortable but better than if you were outside.
Alastor stood just off to the side as Charlie closed the portal and Vaggie kept Takuma close to her side. He really wanted to ask Alastor questions, he wanted to see Alastor’s room, he said he had a collection of things he’d dissected and kept in jars along his wall and a bayou he’d conjured that felt real.
He could only glance in his direction, red eyes met blue, and Alastor raised a brow with a tilt of his head.
Takuma thought he understood what he was asking, but Alastor was more guarded than when they were alone and while Takuma wasn’t bound by a deal to keep what is between them a secret, Alastor was.
It all sounded pretty exhausting honestly, he was starting to feel bad for asking so much of Alastor, if he was helping keep this place from falling apart and watching over everything while also dealing with Takuma.
A frown tugged at the corners of Takuma’s mouth and maybe Alastor was harder to read right now, Alastor didn’t have the same issues with reading the child.
A clap interrupted their mind reading and both looked over at Charlie who turned to Takuma with a big smile. “Tada! Welcome to the Hazbin Hotel! Home of second chances!”
The mortal blinked and opened his mouth, closed it thinking better of his wording before saying. “It’s definitely… not what I expected.”
Vaggie guided him not so subtly out of direct eyeshot of Alastor, out of the lobby and towards the lounge. “What were you expecting?” she asked and there was teasing lilt to her tone.
Takuma bit his lip, trying to find his words. This wouldn’t be so difficult if he hadn’t just woken up. He’s battling with his own bluntness and sarcasm that wants to speak instead of his reasonable and cautious voice at this early hour.
“Not so mismatched, I guess. Maybe more luxury than motel eight passing off as vintage themed.” He finally replied.
Charlie looked offended, Vaggie nodded along as if he made complete sense and Alastor looked like he was holding his laughter in and it was painful, his grin took up most of his face.
Ah, fuck it, I’m too tired to be considerate.
Takuma sighed and reached forward to take the messenger back and suitcase from Charlie, balancing his plush and blanket. “You said I had a room? Breakfast?” he pushed, trying to steer them away from his mistake.
Charlie instantly brightened. “Yeah! I’ve got a room ready for you, right across the hall from me and Vaggie, so if you need anything you can just come knock.” She explained and held out her hand to him.
Takuma took the proffered hand and allowed himself to be dragged away while Vaggie helped him with his things, conveniently blocking Alastor’s view of the mortal but also blocking Takuma’s ability to see him.
Takuma tried not to be disappointed that he couldn’t get a closer look at Alastor’s real form. He drooped just slightly and resigned himself to sneaking away later to meet up with Alastor if he wasn’t busy.
He got a quick tour, told where all the bathrooms were, the way to the staff kitchen that everyone used equally and up flights of steps to his room.
One question did plague him though.
“Hey, Charlie. How’d you get Lucifer to agree to this?” he asked.
Charlie froze and spun around to give him a pained smiled. “Why would you ask that?” she answered with her own question.
Takuma couldn’t fight his smirk nor his need to needle and push. “I just thought the first place I’d see is the estate like he talked about. He never seemed to keen on being anywhere near the hotel.”
Charlie rolled her eyes. “It’ll be fine, he’ll freakout and then get over it.”
Takuma raised a brow. “So, you didn’t tell him where I am, we didn’t leave a note, and it looks like my room my robbed and I was actually kidnapped.”
Vaggie and Charlie immediately caught on to what he was implying.
“I should call him, be right back!” Charlie squeaked and immediately pulled out her phone and went into her room.
Vaggie sighed and shook her head, but her smile was fond. She turned to Takuma, and this was the first time they’d been alone together.
They stared at one another for a moment, before Vaggie looked uncomfortable and moved forward to open the door to Takuma’s new living space. “Why don’t you make yourself at home and we’ll come get you for breakfast in a second?”
Takuma shrugged and went inside, closing the door behind him.
He felt the shadows creep around him before Alastor materialized in front of his new bed.
“I wouldn’t get comfortable. After that phone call, I’m sure I’ll be moving you to the estate.” He assured with confidence.
Takuma went about putting his things away and his blanket and plush on the bed. “Wanna bet?”
Alastor perked up. “Ho ho, a bet you say. Do you have enjoy losing?” he teased.
Takuma pulled himself up onto the bed and lounged back against the pillows with a tired yawn. “I bet Lucifer caves to Charlie, and I get to stay.”
Alastor huffed and came to sit beside him on the edge of the bed. “And I bet he panics at the thought of his precious little mortal unprotected in sinner territory.”
Takuma smiled at him. “If I win, you have to watch a modern movie with me of my choosing.”
Alastor tsked but didn’t protest. “And when I win, I get to update your wardrobe to something a bit less modern and a bit more classy.” He replied and held out his hand.
“Is it a deal?” he purred.
Takuma blinked and looked at his hand. “You told me never to make a deal with a demon.”
Alastor hummed but his hand didn’t move. “This isn’t a soul deal. Just a friendly bet, yes?”
Takuma rolled his eyes but shook the hand, making sparks of green magic pop and sizzle. “Deal you weirdo.” He chuckled.
The Radio Demon’s grin softened just slightly, and he reached out to tweak his nose. “Brat.”