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Now that redemption has been confirmed by their good friend Sir Pentious up in heaven, the past few days have had Charlie excitedly scrambling around to get rooms prepared and the Hazbin Hotel appearance ready for when guests arrive. Her efforts have already drawn in some new sinners who are willing to test the path of redemption, but there is still so much more work to be done if the Hazbin Hotel is to welcome as many demons as possible.
Charlie speedwalks down the lobby, calling out to her friends as she passes by them.
“Okay, Nifty, I need all those clean towels in rooms five hundred to six hundred!” she spins on her heels, “Clean towels Niffty! Clean!”
She points, “Husk! Those bottles can go on floor three!”
She takes charge, “Cherri! I want to see those picture frames on floor four!”
Charlie turns around, immediately noticing her girlfriend ahead of her. “Vaggi! How’s the rest of the lobby looking?”
“It’s as clean as it was when we cleaned it yesterday,” Vaggi says with a chuckle. She cups Charlie’s hand, reminding the princess to stand still and take a breather. “Relax babe,” Vaggi places her hand on Charlie’s cheek. “No matter what, it’s going to be great.”
Charlie sweetly leans into the touch and grabs Vaggi’s hand. “Heh, sorry. I’m just so excited.”
“I know. It’s been a long road to get here, but I’m glad so many sinners are finally starting to see all the hard work you put into this.”
Charlie returns a warm smile towards her, “Thanks, Vaggi.”
As the two stand in the front of the lobby, the door to the hotel suddenly clicks.
Charlie gasps for air and violently shakes Vaggi’s shoulders. “It’s a new guest!” She fixes her posture to stand up as straight as a pole. “Get ready to greet them!” She says, pumped full of excitement.
The door starts to swing open. Charlie already begins speaking before she can process who or what she’s seeing.
“Welcome, sinner to the Hazbin Ho-whoa whoa, what the HELL??!!” Charlie changes her tune when she realizes that the TV overlord himself—the demon who wanted to destroy her reputation and everything she’s worked for—Vox, walks through her doors. The last time she saw him, he was just a screen for a head. But now, he seems as good as new, and standing in the lobby of her hotel, surprisingly… alone.
Charlie bares her fangs at him. Her voice starts to growl. “What are you doing here?”
Vox simply puts on a smile that could steal the spotlight. “What a warm welcome, Princess. It’s nice to know you haven’t forgotten me.”
Vaggi steps by Charlie’s side, ready to protect her at a moment's notice. She glares at Vox and crosses her arms, “Looks like you got your body back.”
Vox scoffs. “Yeah, well, let’s not even start to talk about that.”
Charlie stomps a foot forward, standing her ground. “Look Vox. If you’re here for another fight, forget it.”
Vaggi adds, “Another fight that we’ll destroy you in.”
Vox throws his hands up, acting innocent. “Hey, hey. I get it. We have history. But I’m not here for a fight.”
Vaggi and Charlie exchange quick glances at each other.
Vox chortles. “No no, as a matter of fact…” he bares his fangs in a toothy grin. “I’m here to check in, as a guest,” he says the last word with a sinister twitch of static.
“A GUEST???” Charlie and Vaggi shout simultaneously.
“That’s right,” Vox says with full confidence.
“What makes you think that we’ll believe you?!” Vaggi snarls, “After everything you’ve done—for all we know, this could just be another plan to spy on us!”
“Believe me, I know how it sounds.” Vox pauses; he crosses his arms and gazes to the side. “I don’t want to be here either,” he nearly mumbles his last sentence to himself, pairing a sigh with his words. His sigh though…it wasn’t snarky for once. It sounded… hurt. Are his antennae drooping?
Vox continues, taking a breath, “Valentino and Velvette kicked me out. They said that if I want to be back on the Vees’ good side, they said I have to behave myself here and make amends.” His smug smile returns on his screen for his next sentence, “And to come here to serve my punishment.”
Charlie replies first, “Okay, I don’t appreciate the hotel being used as a method of punishment. But…” she contemplates for a moment. She puts her hands together and takes a deep breath. Her voice turns softer and determined, “I’ve said before that it’s my goal for any sinner to at least have a chance at redemption… and, as much trouble as you’ve put us through, that includes our enemies.”
“Charlie! Babe!” Vaggi interjects. “A word?”
Vaggi gently takes her arm and pulls her aside; Vox wanders to the center of the lobby while they talk.
“Charlie,” Vaggi’s voice is stern, yet gentle, “I know how much you want to prove that any sinner has a home here at the hotel and take in everyone you see—you’re sweet like that—but we can’t trust him. How could we trust him?”
“I know, I know. Taking his word for it has hurt us in the past before, but I can’t just turn him away that easily.” Charlie glances at Vox. “He seems hurt, and weak. I’ve never seen him like that before.” She looks down at the ground as she ponders. “There’s got to be a way where we can prove that he’s telling the truth. Something that can make him vulnerable enough where we can prove why he’s really here… A trust exercise, or something…”
As Charlie desperately wonders, the king of hell, Lucifer, walks into the lobby, looking around the room.
“Hey Charlie, where did you say you wanted the-” Lucifer screeches to a stop like a speeding tire hitting the brakes, followed by a gigantic gasp when he notices Vox standing in the middle of the hotel.
“What the FUCK is he doing here?!” Lucifer shouts. He pounces forward and tackles Vox to the ground. He pins him down by pushing on his shoulders. Lucifer bares his growling fangs.
Vox looks up and returns an antagonizing grin, “Well, hello to you too, your majesty.”
Lucifer snarls. His horns begin to grow and his eyes turn fiery red. “How DARE you show your face around here!”
“Wait, Dad! Don’t hurt him!” Charlie calls out. “He… He might be a guest.”
Lucifer’s horns retract and his eyes return to normal, though they’re filled with shock. “A- GUEST???!”
Before he can start asking questions, Vox responds with a smirk from below, “That’s right, your majesty. And you’re currently pinning down a potential customer.”
Lucifer growls at the TV demon and keeps holding him down. “But Charlie!” Lucifer tries to reason with his daughter, “This is the same demon who mocked you on television! Who nearly blew up heaven! Who… who…” Lucifer gathers his scattered thoughts, “Who used my power and gave me bad tickles!”
Unexpectedly, like a flower given water, Charlie perks up. A possible answer for her current dilemma pops in her mind.
“Hey, Dad?” Charlie asks. “This might be strange, but can you hold Vox’s arms over his head? I have an idea.”
Both the king of hell and the TV overlord stare at her with wide eyes and blink as they process her words.
“Excuse me-?” Vox says like he misheard her, but he knows what he heard.
Lucifer brings his attention back to Vox. “Uh… sure,” he responds to Charlie. “Sure!” his second response is more enthusiastic. From his current advantageous position, Lucifer begins wrangling Vox’s wrists into his hands.
“Hey!” Vox tries to wrestle the King of Hell off of him, but Lucifer nabs both of his hands, then hops behind his head. He pins his wrists to the ground, effectively keeping Vox’s arms above his head. Lucifer grins from ear to ear at him. Vox could struggle, but he just grumbles and rolls his eyes instead.
Charlie then approaches Vox.
“Wait, Charlie!” Vaggi holds an arm out to her as she leaves her side. “What are you doing?”
Charlie looks over her shoulder, her words paired with a smile, “You’ll see. Trust me.”
Lucifer chimes in, “Yeah, what are you going to do, Char Char? Oh, oh! Are you going to smite him? Now, you know I don’t condone violence, but in this case I’ll make an exception,” Lucifer jokes with a devilish grin.
“No, nothing like that, dad,” Charlie says as she sits down and straddles herself over Vox’s hips. Both Vaggi and Lucifer share looks of confusion.
“Whoa-ho! Princess!” Vox chortles in surprise. “I didn’t expect this from you. In front of your girlfriend too?” Vox jests.
“What- Ew no,” Charlie quickly puts a stop to that train of thought. She shakes her head to get rid of that image. Charlie sits up straight as she declares her plan, “Vox, if you want to be a part of this hotel, then we have to trust you. So, this method will help us see a new, lighthearted side of you—Hopefully.”
Vox takes a breath to make a sarcastic remark, but Charlie quickly yells, “Okay- onetwothree, here we go!”
She dives her hands towards Vox’s sides and wiggles her fingers in the spot.
“Gack!” Vox makes a strangled noise like a yelp, but nothing else follows it; Charlie thought there would be more of a reaction…
Vox takes a second to respond. “Princess!” he lets out a surprised chuckle, yet there’s the slightest hint of a shaky breath in his tone. “What are you doing?”
Charlie moves her hands away. “I’m tickling you. Is it not working?” she sounds a bit disappointed.
“Oooo, sorry princess, but I’m not ticklish,” Vox’s know-it-all tone reappears. “Looks like your trust exercise is a bust.”
“Liar,” Lucifer leans his head into Vox’s view, grinning down at him. “Lying is a sin you know, Vox. Go ahead Charlie. Keep going.”
Vox stumbles out a scoff. “Tch-Ha! I’m not lying! I’m the TV overlord. You really think a little tickling is going to work on me-HEEEE!” Vox screeches when Charlie’s hands plunge back towards his sides while he’s distracted. Vox shuts his mouth up tight, his smile wobbling each second with the desire to burst into a smile. He holds it together for now, clearly keeping back laughter.
“What’s the matter, Vox?” Lucifer’s tone drips with a smirk. “You were so confident just a moment ago. What happened?”
Vox growls through his gritted fangs. “You’re not holding to win this!” his words strain not to add in a giggle. He immediately muffles a squeak when Charlie wiggles her fingers over his stomach and he sucks in his belly.
“Oh, I think we already have,” Lucifer says. “Keep searching Charlie! There’s got to be a spot that’ll make him break somewhere.”
Vox spits out a reply, “Yeah?! Well, good luck!”
Charlie thinks out loud, “Let’s see… I’ve tried his sides… his belly… Hmm, what about here?” Charlie’s curious fingers crawl up to his ribs.
Vox jolts and muffles an impending explosion of laughter. He kicks his legs like a horse trying to get out of a patch of dirt while the hisses like a wire short circuiting start to slip from his screen.
His snickers crackle, then a giggle slips, and Vox looses the battle, “Fuck! Hahahahaha!” he finally breaks into laughter.
“I found one! I found a spot!” Charlie exclaims with pure excitement. Vaggi witnesses it all from the side, bewildered.
“Ha ha! Nice going, Char Char!” Lucifer laughs along too. His tone shifts to tease Vox, “Oooh, the ribs, huh? A classic spot to be ticklish, Vox.”
“Shuhuhuhut the fuhuhuhuck up!”
“Language, Vox!” Lucifer acts like he’s appalled.
Charlie giggles, “Hehe, yeah. He is really ticklish,” Charlie says with a hint of surprise. She hoped her plan would work, but it’s working even better than she imagined. She tests out a previous spot she tried before and scribbles her fingers over his belly. Vox barks out a laugh and kicks his heels into the floor, trying unsuccessfully to curl up his middle.
“Really, really ticklish,” Charlie adds to her own statement.
Vaggi speaks after being so stunned, though she’s also quite amused. “I- I can’t believe it… It’s actually working. I mean, don’t get me wrong, babe, I'm glad your plan is working, but I never expected to see this.”
Charlie chuckles. “Never underestimate the power of kindness, Vaggi! Aaaand, in this case, tickling!”
“Ahahalright, lahahaugh it up yohohohou three-hehehehe!” Vox cackles.
“Oh, we intend to,” Lucifer revels in the sight.
“But nicely of course!” Charlie clarifies, “We’re laughing with you, not at you! It’s a trust exercise, remember?”
“Fine, fine, I’m laughing with you,” Lucifer amends his statement. “Even though you look ridiculous right now,” he quips.
“Dad!” Charlie can’t help a giggle. “Don’t listen to him, Vox. It’s actually nice to see you happy.”
“Thahahat’s NOHOHOT helping!” Vox exclaims.
“Whaaat, I am being nice!” Lucifer spins his claim, “Looking ‘ridiculous’ in this context is a complement! I’m just being honest and honesty is a way to build trust! Now, let’s see here… where else would he be ticklish?” Lucifer scans Vox. His eyes stop when he reaches his underarms. “Hmmm,” the King of Hell hums with a curved smile and a deep chuckle in his chest. “Oh, Vaggi? Could you take over for me?”
“Uh…Sure,” Vaggi walks over, keeping an eye on Vox in case he tries anything.
“Dad? What are you planning?” Charlie smiles. She stills her fingers and gives Vox a breather. The TV demon lets out trickles of giggles even after Charlie stops.
“Oh nothing,” Lucifer says.
Vaggi stands by Lucifer’s side, “What do you need me to do?”
“Just hold his arms up niiiice and high for me,” Lucifer passes Vox’s hands into Vaggi’s grip. The King of Hell then looms over Vox. A big toothy smirk takes over his face and his fingers wiggle in the air like they’ve been possessed.
Vox’s eyes widen. “Nonononono!” he kicks his heels into the carpet and tries to sink into the floor. “Put that SMIRK away!”
Charlie can’t help herself and giggles again, “Dad.”
“What? I’m just providing one of our guests great service by showing them what they have to look forward to.”
“You call this service??!” Vox shouts.
“Service with a smile,” Lucifer replies. He wiggles his fingers in Vox’s view, then hovers them over his underarms; Vox flinches with an already wobbly smile.
“Trust me, Vox.” Lucifer says. “This won't hurt a bit… But it’s really gonna tickle.”
Vox follows with a snarl, trying to act tough. “If you’re going to do it, just do it alread-EYYYYYYY!” he screeches when Lucifer suddenly dives his fingers into his underarms, free for the tickling.
“Well, if you insist,” Lucifer smirks over the explosive sound of Vox’s laughter. Vox momentarily bucks and lifts his wrists from the floor, but Vaggi pushes them back down after almost being taken aback by Vox’s gigantic reaction.
“Ohohohohoho FUHUHUCK! Thahahahat dohohoes really tickle!!!” Vox’s voice cracks as he spills high-pitched giggles and cackles, even surprising himself with how loud he is.
“We can see that, Vox,” Lucifer teases, “I think they can hear you all the way up in heaven with that scream.”
“It wasn’t that loud,” Charlie reassures, smiling.
“I don’t know. It was pretty impressive,” Vaggi grins. “Hey, are these ticklish too?” Vaggi grabs both of Vox’s hands in one hand and fiddles with Vox’s antennas. The TV man practically squeaks.
“EEK! Yehehehes! Yehehes they are!” Vox scrunches his shoulders to his neck.
Vaggi chuckles and pulls her hand away, showing him at least some sort of mercy.
“Come on guys, take it easy on him,” Charlie says in a lighthearted manner, then scribbles her fingers into his sides.
Vox jolts, “Aha! Princess!” Vox giggles like one would to a good friend. It actually takes Charlie by surprise with the way he said it so playfully. However, her attention is suddenly shifted when she also hears a snort come out of Vox.
Charlie lights up. “Aww! Was that a snort? That was cute!” she complements, not meaning to tease despite how it sounds.
“A snort too, Vox? You’re just full of surprises today,” Lucifer smirks and crawls his fingers to the top of Vox’s ribs.
“I- Yohohou- Hahahaha!” Vox’s words dissolve into pure, unrestrained, wheezy laughter.
It’s at this moment that Charlie realizes that, despite this crazy plan of hers, Vox is dropping his guard around them. His responses are less snarky and he’s not trying to fight back—he’s not even trying hard enough to pull his arms down. Not only that, but Charlie notices that her dad and Vaggi are smiling with him instead of at him. It’s a rare sight of mutual enjoyment between the three of them, seeing the genuine smiles on each of their faces.
Attempting to trust a previous enemy by tickling him into a giggly puddle is unorthodox, to say the least, but building trust is one of the first steps towards redemption. Charlie can see this vulnerable side of Vox is one that she can take a risk on, one that she has potential to build trust with. For her, they’ve already made a little bit progress. Charlie couldn't be happier.
But, of course, trust goes both ways, and that includes knowing someone else's limits.
Charlie chuckles. “Okay, let’s let him up,” she moves her hands away from Vox’s sides.
“Aww, already?” Lucifer says and stills his fingers, keeping them hovered near Vox’s underarms.
“Are you sure? I think he can take it,” Vaggi teases.
“Come ohohon!” Vox lets out a residual giggle. “Give me a break already!”
“No no, he’s had enough for now,” Charlie kindly responds and gets off of Vox’s legs. “Let’s not go overboard.”
“Alright, if we must,” Lucifer playfully complies.
Both Lucifer and Vaggie pull back, allowing Vox to curl himself into a ball with his knees pulled to his chest and his arms huddled close. He recovers his breath, letting out leftover giggles that he no longer has a reason for containing as he exhales.
As his giggles start to fade, Charlie leans into his view. “Sooo, how do you feel?”
“Like I have electricity still surging through my veins…” Vox grumbles.
“Eh, it’ll pass,” Lucifer grins at him. Vox rolls his eyes and sits up. Charlie reaches out a hand to help.
Vox looks at her hand and then at her. Charlie looks back at him with a soft, kindhearted smile and bright eyes that welcome him. Vox glances at her hand again. He takes it.
Charlie helps him on his feet. Once Vox regains his footing, he brushes off his vest and fixes his bowtie like he had just walked in untouched through the doors.
Vox speaks, “So, after that…humiliating display… do you trust me now?”
Before Vaggi and Lucifer can reply, Charlie speaks first.
“I do,” she says. “It’s going to take a while for any of us to fully trust you, but for now…” Charlie warmly smiles at him, “It’s a start.”
Vaggi crosses her arms and gives Vox a stern glare, “But we’re still going to keep our eyes on you.”
Lucifer walks to Charlie’s side and gently lays a hand on her shoulder. “Charlie, are you sure about this?” Lucifer softly asks.
Charlie nods. “I’m sure. I know we’ve had our… major differences in the past, but if there’s one thing that the Hazbin Hotel was made for, it’s for second chances. I think we can give him a second chance.” Charlie turns to Vox with an enthusiastic smile. “So, come on Vox. Let’s get you a room.”
Vox blinks and his eyes soften at her response. Charlie marches towards the front desk with a pep in her step and waves Vox over. Vox follows shortly after.
Charlie knows that it’s going to be a lot of trial and error, and the occasional disagreement having Vox here as a guest at the hotel, but as she checks him in, she’s hopeful. She can hear what he’s thinking simply from looking at his softer expression: “Maybe this redemption thing won’t be so bad after all.”