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Unbeknownst to the toddler and the teacher by his side a certain radio demon just happened to walking by, umbrella in hand as his sights locked on the tiny bug. The teacher seemingly noticed a second too late as their scream was muffled by a tentacle grabbing them, before dragging them into shadows. Vax perked up at the nearby frequency that joined him, looking up from the puddle near his feet to the red man now standing next to him.
“Hello there!” Alastor greeted, smiling down at the toddler.
“Hello my names Vax- I mean I’m not allowed to talk to strangers.” Vax quickly went back to looking at the puddle, unaware the teacher was missing.
“Stranger? No, I’m an old acquaintance of your dads see?” Alastor manifested an old photo of himself and Vox and handed it to the tiny bug.
“Oh that’s my dad!” Vax pointed to Vox, showing the stranger.
“That it is.”
“And that’s you!” Vax poked alastor in the photo, looking up for confirmation.
“Clever.” Alastor took the photo back, just in time as the child sneezed and wiped his non existent nose with his sleeve.
“Is Vox normally this late for pickup?” Alastor asked the toddler as he joined him staring out at the puddles.
“Um… Mr driver is normally here by now, Mr mason called my dad… where is mr mason?.” Vax tugged at the bottom of his shirt, clearly a little nervous.
“Forget that! Follow me little one and we will get you back home!” Alastor stepped out into the puddle covered drive, clearly expecting the child to follow. Only to turn back and see Vax had his hands up.
“Mami says I can’t jump in puddles!” Vax yelled over the wet drive. Alastor rolled his eyes as he shadowed back to the child.
“Ridiculous, what kind of child can’t splash around in puddles?! Come now or I’ll leave without you.” Alastor announced as he walked off once more, watching from the corner of his eye as Vax took a gentle step in the puddle with his rain boot.
”oh okay then!”
The two walked off the school grounds, down a block or two. Vax promptly splashing in every puddle since he was allowed too before stopping in his tracks.
“Ah! That’s my house! Are we nearly there!?” The little boy pointed to Vtower in the distance.
“Oh no, we are far from it little one.” Alastor shook his head glancing down at the little boy who sneezed.
“Oh… but I’m tired.. Maybe you can call my dad?, he could come pick me up!” Vax looked up at Alastor with hopefully tired eyes.
“Perhaps, but first I thought we could stop for tea and biscuits at Aunty Rosie’s!” He announced as they now stood in front of Rosie’s emporium.
“Oh… then you will call my dad? Mami might be getting worried.” Vax tugged nervously at his shirt again as Alastor rolled his eyes.
“Sure sure. Come along.” Alastor burst the door open.
“Rosie! Alastors here with company!” He announced, a moment later Rosie appeared on the stair case.
“Alastor! Oh and company you say? This is new-“ Rosie locked eye with the small wet, child that was clearly not Alastors and her eyes widened.
“Alastor… sweetie. Is that Vox’s kid?” She held a forced smile as Alastor hung up his umbrella.
“Vox is my papa! But my name is Vax!” The boy threw his hands up before sneezing.
“Oh you must be freezing, alastor be useful for once and get the fire going, naw you poor thing come here.” Rosie leant down and picked up the small boy, taking a pink scarf from the rack by the door. She wrapped it around Vax before placing him down by the fire that Alastor clicked on along with the old record player in the corner of the room.
“Oh have nothing prepared… let me just brew up some tea and get you all warmed up…” Rosie rushed around the emporium as Alastor watched Vax rub some water from his screen and flick his wings dry before stumbling over to the small table and peeking at its contents. He’s eyes lighting up at the pen and notebook as his tiny hands grabbed it before he sat back down.
“Are you really my Tia miss Rosie? thought I only had a tia Velvette. Two tias is okay though… more tias…” the boy drifted out of his own conversation as he doodled on a blank page of the notebook.
“Oh sweetie you can call me whatever you like, here have some tea and biscuits, I cooled it down for you.” Rosie sat the saucer by the child who sniffed the drink.
“But I’ve never had tea before…” he squirmed a little, dipping a finger into it and extending his long tongue to lick the tainted finger.
“Mmm this tea is soooo good Rosie.” Alastor made a show of sipping his cup as Vax glanced over, doing the same a moment later.
“Oh! It’s a warm drink!” Vax sipping the whole glass down before chomping on the corner of a cookie, doodling on the notepad as he spilt crumbs everywhere.
“So… Alastor. Care to tell me why I have Valentino and Vox’s son in my living room?!” She growled, masking her frown.
“Why for the entertainment of course! I just happened to see a Voxtek car driving past on my way over. Unfortunately the driver passed away and poor here Vax was left at kindergarten, what was I meant to do?” Alastor mocked, watching as Rosie grabbed a hand towel and wiped down Vax’s screen. It faintly reminding her of when Vox used to visit.
“Thank you miss Rosie!” Vax sneezed before he wiped under his nose.
“Oh you are just too cute now ain’t you.” Rosie gave him the towel to blow his screen.
“Mami says that but I’m actually not cute, I’m tuff.” Vax did his best to show how tuff he was before going back to doodling on the notepad.
“Oh I see, well my apologies.” Rosie smiled sweetly, glancing at the picture of what looked to be Valentino he was drawing as she returned to her chair.
“I knew you would like him.” Alastor teased taking another sip of his tea.
“That doesn’t make it okay! Once he is all warmed up we are calling Vox.” She sighed, watching Vax hum and chew on a cookie.
“Oh your no fun… we could just keep him and pretend his Vincent!” Alastor teased as Rosie rolled her eyes.
“Oh you are taking years off my afterlife.” Rosie sighed.
“Oh I know this one!” Vax’s antennas twitched as he scrambled up.
“One clock two clock three clock rock!” Vax giggled, it looked a little like dancing.
“Oh look at you go!” Rosie smiled as Vax ran up to her and tugged at her dress to make her stand.
“Nine ten clock eleven clock twelve clock rock! Come on you gonna miss it!” Vax tugged at Alastors pants until he rolled his eyes and shadowed to stand.
“It’s the round clock song!” Vax cheered as he continued to wiggle dance, much to the others amusement.
“A bit modern for my tastes but I have to admit it’s quite the hit!” Alastor grabbed Rosie’s hand, she laughed as she was pulled into a spin. Vax wiggled on the floor as the song played out until Alastors shadow lifted him up to the adults making him squeal and laugh but after quick recovery he was back to singing out of time and wiggling.
“Amround the clock today!” Vax threw his hands up as Rosie and Alastor finished their little swing dance.
“Oh you are quite the showman Vax, singing and dancing just like your father!” Rosie picked him off the black tentacle and span him around before placing him by the notepad and cookies.
“My papa… is… Achoo!” Vox sneezed, before he could wipe his screen on his sleeve Rosie wiped it with a tissue.
“I think it’s time we gave him a call don’t you?” Rosie put on a sad smile as she stood.
“If he doesn’t pick up I know mamis number for emergencies.” Vax sniffled before going back to colouring.
“Oh come now Rosie, who knows what other songs the little bug has tucked away in that tiny little mind!” Alastor chuckled as she walked past.
“As fun as that was, I think the poor thing is coming down with a cold. I’m calling Vox so leave now or you will have to see him and I can tell you, he is not gonna be happy.” Rosie wander off to make the call as Alastor rolled his eyes and stood.
“Spoil sport”Alastor growled before feeling a soft tug at his pants.
“Are we going home now?” Vax stared up with those annoyingly huge eyes.
“I’m going back to the hotel now, Rosie is calling Vox for you.” Alastor mumbled as Vax clearly squeaked.
“Yay! Papas coming!” Vax cheered, waving his cookie in the air, alastor gave a quick exhale before heading to the door.
“Wait!” Vax called after Alastor would threw his head back in annoyance.
“What now?” He grumbled looking down at the toddler.
“Thank you for taking care of me in the rain!” Vax smiled as Alastor scoffed but leant down to pat the child’s antennas.
“No thank you Vax, for an entertaining evening, don’t ever loose that spark of yours.” Alastor smiled wider watching the purple electricity crackle in his fingers.
I won’t! Oh and I forgot to say my papa helps make dreams come true and stuff! If you tell him you helped me I bet he will give you one for half price! Vax threw his hands up with his “showman” grin.
“I’m quite alright Vax, it was a pleasure to finally meet you.” Alastor smile widened before he vanished into shadow. The area filled with a familiar static before a frantic Vox appeared beside the toddler.
“Vax there you are! Are you okay are you hurt?- Val I found him- champ you can’t just go off like that! Mami and me were worried- I’m sending you my location- that’s scarfs not a Voxtek brand, where did you get this scarf?”
“Relax Deary, he got it from his Aunty Rosie” Vox was quick to step in front of his son as he shot Rosie a glare.
“How dare you kidnap my son! This means war Rosie you hear me! I’ll burn this shitty town to the GRoUNd-“
“Papa she didn’t kidnap me, Tia Rosie is nice!” Vax squeaked up at his father with a cough, pulling his pant leg in an attempt to stop him yelling.
“No no no, did you catch a cold?!” Vox was quick to fall to his knee and scan Vax’s internals.
“Yeah I thought that too, the poor thing, but I gave him some of my famous “Rosie honey tea” and it perked him right up! Didn’t it Vax?” Rosie gave the kid a small wave as Vax sluggishly waved back.
“MIJO!” Valentino landed outside the emporium in a flurry of smoke, the doors slammed open an instantly the child was lifted and cuddled.
“Mwah, mwah, mwah! Oh my baby are you okay? Did anyone hurt you my sweet? Mami will find them and rip them apart.” Vax giggled as the twos antennas flicked together.
“Mami haha, stop! I’m okay!” Vax wiggled in Val’s hold before coughing making Val freeze up.
“You’re sick. I knew this would happen, we shouldn’t have let you go to that stupid kindergarten, that fucking driver-“
“Val calm down the cars on the way.” Vox reassured.
“Whoa, What’s with the panic boys, it’s just a little cold, he’s a kid, kids get sick all the time! Some bed rest and soup and he will be good as new in no time!” Rosie reassured as Vox gave her a small glance, whilst Val held Vax closer and moved away.
“Vax… had a rough start okay? We aren’t sure what a cold might do.” Vox corrected, looking a little nervous himself.
“Well then, wait here.” Rosie quickly made her way inside, Vox turned to see Vax crawling inside Val’s neck fluff, watching as Val gripped harshly at his own arms.
“Here, I can’t have the two of you getting sick now.” Vox smiled as a jacket was swung over Val’s shoulders. Vox could see Val was close to tears so he sent another aggressive warning to the driver to hurry up.
“Here, the little guy loved this tea, I packed up some of the butter cookies we were sharing, sinner free of course, and keep the scarf.” Rosie handed Vox a small red bag with a soft smile.
“Cookies?” Vax peeked out of Val’s fluff, searching for the said cookies.
“Not till your papa says” Rosie booped the small boy where his nose would be making the small bug erupt in giggles. The limo pulled up a moment later the group made their way outside as Vox opened the door for Valentino before turning to Rosie.
“Thank you… for making sure no harm came to him. Voxtek owes you.” Vox gave her a small nod.
“Oh please, enough with the formalities. just bring him by sometime. The boy is a great dancer, gets it from his dad.” Rosie teased as Vox held back a grin.
“We’ll be seeing you Rosie.” Vox gave her a small nod before getting into the limo with his family. Slamming the door closed before glancing over at Valentino who silently wiped at his eyes.
“He will be okay.” Vox assured as he put a hand on Val’s leg in reassurance, watching as Val shook his head in disagreement.
“I can’t do it again, I-I can’t watch him in the incubator and not hold h-him Vox, I-It’s my fault I should have canceled the shoot-“
“Hey no. You didn’t have to do any of that. It’s just a little cold he was bound to get one someday. Besides his tougher now, just like his Mami.” Vox stroked Valentinos cheek and forced him to look up.
“Trust me. He will be okay, I’ll take care of you both.” Vox watched for Valentinos shaken smile and weak nod.
They had him back, that’s all that mattered.
—
Alastor shadowed into Lucifer’s duck infested bedroom.
“Oh ho ho look who’s back.” Lucifer teased, noticing Alastor’s noticeably faster than normal pace.
“You good Al?” Lucifer watched as Alastor rounded the desk Lucifer was working at to stand right in front of Lucifer.
“I think… I want a baby.” Alastor stared into Lucifer eyes as he let out a small laugh.
“Hahahaaaaaa…. WHAT?!”