Chapter Text
Alastor rarely had regrets. When he did, they were few and far separated from each other. He regretted the fact he hadn't been able to recently feed his pet alligator he secretly kept in the never-ending forest in his room. He didn't regret failing to inform Charlie there was now a starving alligator back at the Hazbin Hotel. But more importantly, he most definitely regretted waking up this morning.
Finally free of his chains binding him to Rosie and he was about to die because, of course, Vox had decided his purpose in life was to make him miserable. The irrational TV just sat awake at nights coming up with ways to piss him off, he was certain.
"Alastor, what are you waiting for? 'Till we're all six feet under again? You go up there, and you talk to that suicidal, heartbroken idiot of a man right now!" Rosie berates him, hidden behind rubble, as if all of this was somehow his fault.
For a moment, he was completely considering and ready to let everybody die. Why did Vox's breakdown have to be his responsibility?
"Alastor!"
"Fine!"He growls.
This was so humiliating. Why couldn't they all just die instead? A group activity to build community! There, wonderful. He should have been a motivational speaker.
"Vox! I'm....sorry." Alastor forces out.
The hysterical laughter and crying from the Overlord standing on the doomsday weapon then die down, Vox looking surprised. His sharp, manic grin dropped.
"W-what?" Vox's voice glitches.
"I wouldn't have…been quite as harsh if I knew how much you cared. I had a different impression in mind, and that was why I acted the way I did." Alastor continues, knowing he was going to hate himself in the morning for this.
It wasn't a complete lie. He did push Vox away under the assumption the man was aiming to use him. Unfortunately, he was oblivious to others' feelings, exactly as everybody assumed. He never once suspected Vox harbored such odd, intense feelings for him. Perhaps there were friends, no…acquaintances in Hell, after all. Perhaps Vox will finally calm down now that Alastor was forced to speak up. What he doesn't expect is for Vox's expression to soften, a strangely emotional, almost hesitant, smile on his face that confuses Alastor.
What in the world...?
Vox's cables come surging, wrapping around him and dragging him towards the machine. Alastor's claws dug into the ground, creating imprints as he was dragged, his smile feeling like a grimace as he tried to avoid the horror that awaited him. He's yanked back, and he crashes into Vox's arms, the TV-head demon hugging him tightly. Sigh…The things he had to do. Nobody appreciated him. Except the weeping TV trapping him in his arms, it seemed.
"Al...I miss you so much…" Vox cries.
"There, there, Vincent..." Alastor pats his back sarcastically.
At the sound of Alastor calling him by his human name again, he cries harder. Alastor decides to offer some comfort purely out of refusal to admit to himself he was not good at comforting anyone.
"Come now…Let us cease this foolishness. We'll...talk." He offers halfheartedly.
Oh, how he was going to hate himself in the morning.
"Yeah, I…Okay. I'm sorry, Al. I guess I did kind of…lose my marbles, like you said." Vox chuckles softly, still strangely emotional.
Just what did Alastor get himself into? He supposed it was too late to back out, having resigned himself to distracting Vox enough for the man to come down off the doomsday weapon with him. He stopped... All because Alastor asked him to. Did Vox truly care that much? It was a revelation to Alastor.
He certainly didn't think he could convince Vox to stand with everyone and use his powers to help neutralize the Might of Lilith, and yet he did. With a dawning horror, he was starting to realize he had been completely oblivious to just how attached to him Vox was.
After the weapon was destroyed, everyone agreed to simply not talk about it again. Lucifer climbed out of the power source room and sprawled like a starfish on the ground. Charlie then rushed to lift her father up, now exhaling in relief that everything was okay. Velvette and Valentino stood by the sides, mildly baffled by the turn of events. And they weren't the only ones.
"Uh…Should we...do something?" Charlie frowns, looking at something in the distance, her relief at everyone being safe melting into confusion.
Vox, happy in a way she'd never seen before, was dragging away Alastor, who was clawing at the ground to escape.
"Nah, princess...I say we let boxhead have this." Husk smirks, a little too happy.
Vaggie nods next to him, holding Charlie back in case she decides to do anything. Vaggie tried being subtle, really. But it was difficult to stay subtle after the long, impossibly long day they'd all had. She really didn't want to deal with whatever was going on with Alastor and Vox. As long as they didn't kill each other, that was good enough for her.
"So…This entire shitshow happened because of their weird relationship? I guess that tracks…Now that they made up, at least no one's gonna die." Cherri shrugs, walking off to find Angel Dust.
"Yeah...You could say that." Husk smirks, expression full of smug amusement.
In his opinion, he had every right to enjoy watching Alastor get dragged off kicking and screaming like a feral cat by none other than Vox. It was nothing short of satisfying karma.
"Huh..I didn't know the bellhop is dating the TV guy."Lucifer tilts his head, a confused look in his eyes.
"No dad, they're not-....Ah, nevermind. I need a break."Charlie sighs.
Everyone needed a long break, indeed. Most of the cleanup of the rubble and destruction was done by morning; now almost everyone sleeping it off. In the morning, Angel Dust sat perched on the check-in counter, giggling at his phone and showing to anyone awake that Alastor and Vox's relationship was now trending all over social media. Wisely, Angel forced himself to stop giggling when the front door slammed open and the Radio Demon himself walked in, his grin strained and his tie undone. He seemed grumpy, but Angel still couldn't help himself.
"Smiles, you and Vox are trending big time on Voxtagram! Well, not just there, it's—"Angel Dust grins, but Alastor raises a hand to cut him off.
"I don't want to know about it. I never want to know about it." His polite tone wavers, strained and filled with high-pitched screeching through his radio filter.
Charlie, in that moment, comes down the stairs, of course choosing the worst moment to be friendly.
"You were gone the whole night, Alastor...Were you with...anyone?" Charlie questions, gently trying to have a little more tact.
"I don't want to talk about it. I never want to talk about it." Alastor hisses through crackling static, his voice becoming sharper and more demonic, and he disappears upstairs in a heap of black shadows.
He looked like someone who was dragged into spending a strangely romantic evening full of emotional intimacy he would have run from usually. Lucifer, watching from the sitting area with his favorite cup in hand, bit back laughter as he imagined Alastor covered in cartoonish blue lipstick prints. That was all this picture was missing, he'd say. If he did come back in such a fashion, Lucifer would not be surprised at all. That TV guy was head over heels for him. It was almost as good as his favorite duck soap operas!
But still, even he knew better than to directly bother the agitated deer upstairs. Everyone went back to what they were doing, deciding to pretend that Alastor definitely didn't spend the entire night with Vox. Alastor, who was busy sulking—no, he refused to admit it was sulking! He sat in his room with his arms crossed, rightfully angry with the way things had progressed. Everyone else was at fault; he certainly wasn't. Everyone deserved his ire, Vox especially!
That absolute idiot. That overly emotional, infuriating television set.
What gave him the right to challenge Alastor's perfect routine and admit he cares? He could have gone on for decades more quite happily without knowing their past wasn't in fact as fake as he had once believed. Vox hadn't been pretending. He hadn't been trying to use him. It was real.
You're inspiring, really!
Alastor resisted the urge to scream into his hands at the hint of warmth flickering in his chest. His shadow, unhelpfully, offered him a pillow to scream into. And the fact his shadow was happy meant nothing, of course. He wasn't happy! He was downright outraged! The only solution was to live on pretending as if he'd never met Vox before. Yes, they may have agreed to no longer fight, but he refused to give in. He refused to even think about the fact they spent the entire night talking. Dare he say it? Reconnecting. Vox cared.
Mother of God, did HE care?!
The entire hotel pretended they didn't hear the Radio Demon screaming bloody murder upstairs in his room. Some things were better left unexamined. And one of those things was Alastor himself. True to his word, he avoided the picture box that must not be named over the next couple of weeks, as much as it was possible. The hotel was in a state of rebuilding, he was completely free of his deal with Rosie, and he had his staff fixed. All was well.
There was absolutely no need to address the elephant in the room. In his case, the television.
Now Vox, he had been having the time of his life over the past few weeks. Sure, people now saw him as a lovesick fool, but he managed to spin that to his advantage. So, his approval ratings didn't completely tank. Business was still doing just fine. But that wasn't what was making him so happy. The rivalry between him and Alastor was finally over. The hate-filled part, anyways. He had him back, somewhat. Vox was positively giddy. Yes, he had to physically restrain himself from pouncing on Alastor most of the time, but he was still giddy. The ice between them had melted.
Fuck, he missed his Bambi so damn much.
They weren't back to what they used to be, but for the first time, he felt hopeful that they eventually could be. He'll give Alastor space and hope for the best. He was just glad things were better between them. His heart warmed with unrestrained emotion. It was too early to let himself feel so much love for the deer again, but he couldn't help himself. He loved him. He couldn't lie to himself anymore.
Surprisingly, opening up about his true feelings improved his relationship with the Vees. They still snarked and argued with each other, but they were now best friends. Family, in Vox's heart. Velvette and Valentino both had catty remarks about his questionable taste in men, but they welcomed him back with open arms. That was where Vox found the confidence to agree to a night out a month later when they asked. He hadn't had actual fun with them in ages. But now he no longer felt the need to crash out, as Velvette would point out. So, he agreed and let Velvette make matching outfits for all three of them.
Fuck it, he needed to stop thinking about Alastor for just one night.
The night was a drunken blur of the three of them being general menaces to society and clubbing. It had been the longest time since they'd done something like this, just the three of them. But now Vox was happier again; he was more himself again. The Vox of three months ago wouldn't have been hugging Velvette as they both drunkenly sang the karaoke version of 'Good luck, babe' in a random bar they'd stumbled into, like he did now. Velvette, honestly, picked the song because it now reminded her a little too much of Vox and his relationship with the radio freak. Both fossils who just couldn't open up and admit they may feel something more for each other. Which they definitely did, and everybody could fight her on that one; she was not going to change her mind after everything she saw.
Hell, men were stupid. Did they not know it's legal now?
Well, at least Vox was no longer so unstable that he lost focus of everything around him. His weird relationship with his not-boyfriend was a problem that could wait until morning. They deserved to have a little fun for now. Valentino sat with his long legs propped up on the table near the stage, filming them for the live stream as they sang.
"Yes, baby doll, help our abuelito work out his feelings!" Valentino cheers, making Velvette almost fall over, laughing into Vox's shoulder.
"I'm not that old!" He protests with a huff.
"Vee, you're from the 50's, and you got a thing for a man from the 30's." Velvette deadpans.
The usual blow-up and excuses that would have come before don't come; instead, Vox just laughs. They both smile to see he really is feeling better. Better enough to be their Vee again.
"...Okay, fair point."
Hours of drinking and dancing later, Valentino's taken to complaining about food. Vox ended up finding a shop that worked all night, and both of them simply sat on the hood of the car, letting Vox do all of the ordering. It was the way they always did it. And they could admit they missed him doing this. While they waited for Vox to come back with their food, Velvette was talking to her livestream and reading comments. Valentino was a little too busy catcalling everybody who passed on the street, both men and women.
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live stream chat
aspiringfreakshow: Vox is so relatable tbh, I too would kill everyone and then myself over my crush
glitterbabes: This man is a national treasure lmao
eaturheartout: Ur sooooo gorgeous Vel, don't let Vox go back to his ex
lovepotion: For real, Vox crashing out over the Radio Demon speaks to my toxic unhealed soul lol
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A great idea suddenly hits her. Or, at least it seemed great to her drunk mind. Well, she just knew it would be funny.
"We're going to let Vox go to the deer's door right now and wake him up! Stay toxic, babes!" Velvette laughs to the live stream, ready for chaos.
The livestream pops up with comments cheering them on, everybody watching in support to see how that will play out. Sinners were now invested in knowing what was going on between Vox and Alastor. It was perfect for their brand, really. They were back to full popularity yet again. She looks up from her phone to find Valentino dancing around a lamp post with zero shame.
"Sí, like...do it for the plot, bebés." Valentino laughs, now climbing and spinning upside down on the lamp post with all the skill of a professional dancer.
"Exactly! Do it for the plot!" Velvette agrees, laughing excitedly as she films him.
In that moment, Vox comes out of the all-night open burger shop carrying the food he bought for all three of them, a confused smile on his face as he observes the two laughing Vees.
"Food! Vel, somebody get me down! I'm hungry and drunk!" Valentino whines, perfectly capable of getting down but preferring to act as if he couldn't.
"What's going on?" Vox asks, unable to hold back a chuckle.
"We're discussing your nonexistent love life with your fellow jurassic-aged grandpa." Velvette says dryly, her phone wobbling in her hand as she tries to help Valentino climb down.
It takes a few attempts, and they both almost topple to the ground, only for Valentino to somehow do an elegant cartwheel off the lamp post and stand up straight.
"No, baby doll, Zestial is jurassic-aged! Maybe Carmilla as well? But Voxxy and his lover deer are fossils at best!"Valentino exclaims sagely.
"Hmm...True." Velvette nods as if Valentino makes perfect sense.
"Okay, seriously...What?" Vox wasn't following at all.
"Okay, see, now that you and the stupid deer, like, made up or whatever, you should confess to him! Get your man!" Valentino puts his lower arms on his hips.
He liked to think he was being such a bestie right now. He'll totally suggest selling life coach programs at their next business meeting. See, Val did have vision! Everybody just needed to be drunk to see that. Oh, well.
Vox then proceeded to glitch out and blush at the suggestion. Of course, they both started laughing into their food, trying not to choke. Seeing Vox be so embarrassingly in love was funnier than they both expected. How they didn't notice this before was a mystery, because the TV-head demon was definitely gone for that crazy deer.
"I can't just do that! I don't…want to deal with the rejection. I'm fine with having at least a cordial relationship with him, I guess. It's sure as fuck an improvement." Vox mumbles, avoiding eye contact.
"Vee, no, if you don't go for it, someone else will!"
Valentino's remark is met by a snort from Velvette, who didn't agree. Who else but Vox would find a creepy cannibalistic deer attractive? That didn't even cross the TV-head sinner's mind, because in his mind Alastor was the most beautiful man in all of Hell. Ugh, seriously… How didn't they notice Vox is in love with him? It was overly obvious now.
"You think so?!" Vox looks panicked, forgetting he was trying to stay at a distance from Alastor.
All Vox's thoughts of acting like a rational grown-up fly out the window at the possibility of someone stealing Alastor's attention or, even worse, earning his affection. Maybe he really was a little too possessive of him... Okay, one problem at a time.
"Mm, I don't know; the king is giving me divorced dad awkwardly trying to date again vibes..." Valentino comments thoughtfully.
Velvette looks up at him from her food with a deadpan look. She really was the backbone of their household. Vox was an emotionally repressed idiot close to exploding from feelings for the radio maniac, and Valentino, bless him, was a walking dumb blonde stereotype. She really needed to ask Val what color hair he had on Earth one of these days. Just what would they do without her?
"And you think he'd go for the fucking Radio Demon? Val, Vox is the only idiot who's into the whole eldritch horror thing. The king would for sure go for someone less bloody insane. Leave the two idiots to each other; who else is gonna put up with either of them?"
"That fucking pint-sized snake, he's not stealing him from me!" Vox scowls, completely disregarding Velvette's reasoning.
"Yes, drag him, Voxxy!" Valentino purrs.
"We'll be needing more drinks." Velvette murmurs dryly.
"Mm, true, baby doll, you can't go wrong with more vodka." Valentino claps.
You definitely could. But the trio was a little too drunk for rational thought; the idea of letting Vox go to Alastor's doorstep to make a general nuisance of himself again was now sounding like a perfectly reasonable idea. And that was how all three of them ended up loudly singing in the car on their way to the Hazbin Hotel, the car swerving as Vox drove, Valentino switching between dramatically screaming about the car potentially crashing and singing along with Velvette and Vox.
"Is you is or is you ain't my baby? The way you're acting lately makes me doubt!" They all sing.
Vox, for once, couldn't stop smiling. He needed to see his deer, no matter what he ends up saying. Fear of rejection be damned, he can't hold back his feelings anymore.
Watch out, Alastor, I'm coming for you.