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Elias hesitated at the doorway of the kitchen, his claws anxiously thrumming against the doorframe as he watched Alastor fix himself another cup of coffee.
He took a silent breath to steady his nerves before he stepped inside.
“Alastor?” He asked, and resisted the urge to jump as the sinner’s head nearly twisted completely around like an owl’s at the call of his name.
“Ah, Elias.” He greeted, the ever present grin on his face stretching just a bit wider. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
He cleared his throat. “I… I need advice.”
Alastor and him had a pretty decent relationship, as far as things stood. Elias had sensed and even witnessed the shadows of the Radio Demon and the Shadow Queen sometimes when he was out exploring Pentagram City, so he knew they both cared enough to at least look out for him. And he liked talking to Alastor. He knew it annoyed his dad (he had absolutely no idea why), but he hadn’t stopped him from talking to him.
And for this, he needed someone honest. Alastor was, even if it came off as cruel or a bit mean, he was always to the point and brutally honest. For the most part. Besides, his dad was busy currently and he didn’t want to interrupt him, so he’d talk to him about this later.
Alastor’s eyes lit up in interest, and he cocked his head.
“What kind of advice?”
Elias fiddled with his fingers a little bit before he looked down at the ground.
“I… I want to ask someone out, but I have no idea how.”
Alastor’s grin widened, and the slightly sly look that crossed his face made Elias want to squirm.
“Ah, finally done beating around the bush, are we?” He asked with a knowing look.
Elias immediately felt his face heat up, and he shook his head. “Bush? What bush? No bushes are involved whatsoever!”
The Radio Demon chuckled. “You do realize everyone in the hotel has been watching you two dance around each other for years now? It’s been entertaining, but recently it’s become more painful to watch.”
Elias felt his face heat up even more. He didn’t realize everyone knew about his crush on Annie… True, it happened slowly before it hit him smack in the face, but he didn’t realize he had been so obvious about it. What if Annie knew? What if-
Alastor’s hand on his shoulder jerked him out of his head.
“Relax, your highness.” He mused. “Annie has remained blissfully oblivious, sweet girl that she is.” He sighed, then shook his head. “As far as my recommendation goes, be direct with her. Tell her that you care about her, and whatever else suits your fancy.”
“Is that what you did?” He asked.
“Of course!” Alastor nodded, a slightly fond look crossing his eyes for a moment before he blinked it away. Then his eyes lit up with something close to a lear, and he looked beyond Elias to the doorway. “Ah, if it isn’t his shortness.”
“And the bellhop, how nice.” Lucifer glared at him before whirling to face Elias. “Are you really asking for relationship advice from this guy?” He jerked his thumb in Alastor’s direction. “And not me?”
Elias winced slightly. “You were next on the list. Alastor was just closer.” He defended.
“And what would you tell him then?” Alastor’s eyes flickered amusedly at the little family drama.
Lucifer flashed him an annoyed look before he gave Elias an earnest one. “Just, be really sweet and charming, and I promise you you can’t fail with that. It’ll win her over.”
Elias blinked, looking thoughtful while Alastor snickered.
“Sweet and charming?” He needled. “Really?”
“Are we really taking any kind of relationship advice from you?” Lucifer sneered. “How many women have you been with?”
“Just one, thank you very much.” Alastor seemed pleased with the number.
“And I’ve had two, so hah!” Lucifer jabbed him in the shoulder triumphantly.
“At least my first stayed with me.” Alastor jabbed back.
“You know what, I’m gonna go. Thanks for helping, guys.”
Elias wisely chose to back out of the room as a cacophony of hissing and radio feedback started echoing in the room.
Hm… Sweet and charming, and direct. There was no reason he couldn’t do both…
Huh, talking to both of them really did help.
“Alright, so you’re gonna want to add two splashes of this, and one of this…” Husk instructed, directing Annie to start mixing the two kinds of liquor he had poured out for her.
It was a quiet afternoon in the Hotel, and most of the usual residents had gathered around the end of the bar. Shadow, Angel, Batty, her and Husk. Considering it was more quiet, her pops had taken her behind the bar and started teaching her how to make drinks since she had expressed an interest in it.
So she had taken a crack at mixing some drinks, and since Shadow had given her the easy challenge of making an old fashioned, she had taken that as her first drink to make.
Still, she was admittedly a bit distracted, and her eyes had wandered over to the other side of the lobby where Elias had popped out, and almost immediately headed over to Niffty trying to clean one of the chandeliers.
“Hey lil bug.” He smiled, and offered her an arm. “Need a lift?”
Niffty gasped and nodded eagerly, and without even waiting she clambered up Elias’s much taller form and perched on his shoulder like a little parrot. He grinned, and spread his wings wide before he seemingly gave them a simple flap that had them both hovering near the ceiling.
Niffty eagerly hopped onto the nearby shelf and started cleaning it, while Elias hovered nearby in case she needed help reaching something else (or in case she tried nosediving off something for fun again).
Elias was such a sweetheart, and she thought it was the cutest thing… How had she gone so long without really noticing him?
“Annie.”
“What?” Annie blinked, the smile she didn’t know she had dropping as she turned and saw everyone at the bar staring right at her. And the looks on their faces… They made her stomach twitch a little.
Husk had an amused look on his face. “Admiring your crush?”
“Crush?” She lowered her voice, and shook her head despite the heat coloring her cheeks. “No, it’s not like that at all.”
“Annie.” Husk eyed her, just a touch playful. “I know you’re lying. For one, I’m your dad. And for two, I’m really good at telling when people are lying.”
“Yeah, besides you ain’t exactly discreet.” Angel chimed in.
Annie looked to her mother for help, but when Batty nodded with a sympathetic look on her face, her ears flattened noticeably.
“Alright, fine. I like him, okay.” She crossed her arms. “But it’s silly thinking it’s going anywhere beyond that.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Angel hummed. “I think the kid likes you.”
“I’m with Angel on this one.” Husk agreed. “You have a better chance than you think.”
Batty nodded softly. “It’s not silly to think about at all, Annie. Both of you have been dancing around each other for awhile now. We’ve all noticed it.” She said gently.
Annie’s cheeks flamed brighter, and she bit the inside of her cheek as she processed. They had noticed? Ugh, did that mean Elias…? No, it couldn’t be. He was adorably oblivious to some things…
“Should I… Ugh.” She slouched against the bar, her chin in her arms. “I don’t know how to tell him… If I even want to say anything.” She mumbled.
Shadow cast a sideways glance towards Batty and cocked a gentle brow, almost as if she were asking permission for something. Batty caught the look immediately, and nodded with a gentle smile. She always did love that about Shadow; as motherly as she could be to the hotel’s resident children, she always asked before inserting herself and respected everyone’s parental boundaries (unlike her husband…).
“You should tell him, Annie.” Shadow said gently. “You’ll regret it if you stay quiet.” Shadow chuckled, and gently shook her head. “Now, listen to me. I was terrified of letting Alastor know how I felt. Ask your dads.” Both of them nodded before she continued. “But in the end, I ended up telling him. I waited for a moment, and I told him.”
“That simple?”
“Mhm. Mhm. Wait for your moment, when it feels right, and just tell him. Okay?”
“Okay.” She smiled lightly.
Batty reached over and took her hand. “Don’t be like me, Annie. Be braver than I was.”
Annie cocked her head. “How did you tell dad and pops that you loved them?”
Batty sighed and buried her face in one hand. “It slipped out when I was drunk. And then when I realized, I had a massive panic attack.”
“Yeah, we had to calm her down. Cute after that fact, but not during.” Husk patted her shoulder.
“Well, it all still worked out in the end, didn’t it?” Angel grinned softly.
“Yeah it did. In the end.” Husk admitted.
Angel reached over and lightly brushed Annie’s wing. “Everything is gonna work out. Promise.”
“Thanks guys.” She murmured, and spread her wings around all of them for a quick group hug.
Elias gave his wings a little shake as he landed on the roof of the hotel, shaking off any lingering mist from the little rainclouds he had passed through. After checking to make sure his feathers weren’t too ruffled from the late afternoon flight, he stepped off the lip of the roof and more onto it.
A gentle clearing of a throat made his eyes dart up, and almost immediately he smiled when he spotted Annie hanging around near the post of the hotel’s sign.
“Hey.” She waved, a little bit awkwardly.
“Hey.” Elias greeted. “What brings you up here?” He asked. “It’s late.”
“I uh… Well I know you go out for flying around this time, and…” She looked down bashfully. “I wanted to join you…”
Elias immediately perked up.
“I’d love for you to join. Flying is so much fun, and the sky’s perfect for it tonight.” He hopped back up onto the lip and offered her his hand, beckoning excitedly. “Come on. We’ve got time to go for a little flight before it gets too dark.”
Annie hesitated, and Elias paused in his excitement once he registered it.
“I’ve never…” She gestured to her wings. “I’ve never flown before. I’m a bit scared of heights… And falling.” She admitted. “I’m nervous.”
Elias’s expression softened. “I promise, I’ll catch you if you fall. Not that I think you’re going to fall! I mean, you know, if anything happens- not saying it’s going to! - that I’ll-”
Annie giggled at the flustered anxiety that struck him so suddenly, like he was prone to, and felt some of her nerves leave her.
“I trust you.” She smiled, and reached up to take his hand before she stepped up with him.
Elias slightly stuttered to a stop, and he took a breath to steady himself before he flashed her a soft smile.
Elias made flying look easy, although to be fair he had been flying a lot longer than she had, a fact that she made sure to tell him at one point, just like Elias made sure to compliment that she was a natural even though she had the grace of a baby duckling. Annie did have fun though, after she got the hang of it. The sky was painted with those beautiful sunset colors, stars just starting to peek out, and made the whole thing that much more breathtaking.
The sky was darker and the moon was almost out by the time Annie and Elias arrived back at the hotel. Elias easily landed on the edge of the roof, while Annie, as much as she tried to copy him, almost immediately stumbled and pitched forwards as she tried to land.
Elias spun around quickly and caught her, arms immediately curled around her waist as he brought her back squarely on her feet.
“See?” He smiled. “Caught ya.”
They both chuckled, and Annie smiled back at him as she relaxed in his arms.
The moment…. It felt right. It was soft, caring, easy…
Annie leaned up, and reached up to gingerly cup his cheeks before she pulled him into a kiss. Her lips quirked as Elias nearly jumped out of his skin, but just as quickly she felt him relax and start to kiss her back. It was soft, sweet, maybe a little nervous too. Perfect for them, really.
Annie pulled back after a moment, and smiled a little at the slightly flushed face he had.
“Sorry.” She murmured, not sorry at all. “That felt like the right moment.”
Elias blinked, still looking a bit doe-eyed as he processed what she had just done to him. The fact that he was so disarmed and lovestruck by a kiss made her giggle again, and she lightly tapped his cheek.
“I like you a lot, Elias, just in case the kiss wasn’t clear enough for you.” She smiled, feeling her own cheeks start to flush.
Elias, thankfully, managed to snap out of it as he shook his head, and looked at her with wide surprised eyes before she saw them fill with relief.
“I’ve been meaning to say the same thing for a while now.” He murmured, heat coloring his cheeks. “I’m glad you were braver than I was.”
Annie smiled, and leaned her head against his.
“Aww, you’re so cute.”
“Does being cute mean I get another kiss?” He asked, fluttering his lashes playfully.
“Since you asked so nicely.” She smiled, and leaned in to kiss him again.
This time she felt his wings wrap around her, wrapping them up safely in their own little feathery cocoon.