On director commentary, would love commentary on radiostatic flashback chapter of red with envy
"He surveyed the bar, hoping for anything (or anyone) that could offer him some form of entertainment." I thought it was poetic that in the present day, Vox complains about Alastor only using him for entertainment, while the whole reason Vox approached him in the first place was because he was looking for entertainment.
Alastor was amused by how bold Vox was to approach him, so he decided to see where it would go.
“You come here often?” He was not impressed by the cliche line, though.
"Vox realized that he had been being watched." Still, Alastor was curious about Vox because of the way he approached him and, even more so, because of the reaction he experienced when they shook hands, so he was very unabashedly watching him.
“Well, I suppose there’s no accounting for taste.” This is another one of those lines that became a thing they would say back and forth to each other during their friendship. It's also what Amir said to me when my husband told him that Vox is my favorite character, and I totally freaked out over it the second I walked away.
"You haven’t been down here long, have you, my good man?” Alastor's assuming Vox is new to Hell because he clearly doesn't know who he's talking to. And he would consider a decade or less fairly new, so he's correct.
"No accounting for taste, right?” While Alastor hadn't been happy about the implied insult to his wardrobe, he did enjoy Vox teasingly throwing his own words back at him, and he respected him for that.
“It is my understanding that the Devil doesn’t have much involvement in Hell – at least not with us Sinners.” I decided in my rewrite that Lucifer should come up during their first conversation, since he's going to be such a big part of their afterlives.
Also, the reason Alastor knows so much about Lucifer staying "locked in his palace with his wife and daughter" is because of Lilith, of course.
"he was about to ask about the fact that the Devil was apparently married, but Alastor had already changed the subject." I had to have Vox latch onto that detail.
"Killed a bunch of people in New Orleans, right?” Alastor didn't actually expect Vox to recognize his serial killer name, especially since he doesn't even recognize who he is in Hell, so he was pleasantly surprised. He knows that means Vox has to have had an interest in serial killers in life, which he enjoys.
"Didn’t realize you were a celebrity.” Alastor absolutely loved this reaction to finding out he was a serial killer, and he respects that it didn't put Vox off at all.
"Have you met anyone interesting down here?" "I just did." Now that line worked on Alastor.
"He gave a little wave of his free hand and the song abruptly switched to My Way by Frank Sinatra." Alastor was absolutely intrigued by Vox being able to do some of the same tricks he can. Also, My Way was the audition song for Vox, and I just love incorporating that as his favorite song because it's so perfect for him.
“Well, you certainly could have been worse." Vox didn't catch it, but in chapter 3 when they danced, Alastor said the said thing as an intentional callback to the first time they danced together.
"I mean, there’s literally a Radio Demon down here." Alastor was so amused by this and was curious as to what Vox would have to say about him.
“Yeah, well, between you and me, radio is a dying medium." A part of Alastor still admires Vox for his boldness, even though he's mostly offended.
Of course, Vox didn't actually have a vendetta against the Radio Demon, he was just trying to impress Alastor.
“I find you to be one of the more interesting demons I’ve encountered, and I’d hate for your ambition to make you enemies that you’re not prepared to deal with.” Basically, I don't want to have to take you out, but I will if you continue down this path.
“It’s, uh, from the Radio Demon." Alastor got a real kick out of doing this, and it was absolutely his way of sending a warning.
"It’s apple, hope that’s okay.” As seen in other chapters, apple whiskey is still Vox's drink of choice to this day (chosen because it's my favorite), and this was where it started.
Alastor hadn't ruled out killing Vox when he came to see him at work. It was essentially him checking in to see if he should or not, so Vox was right to be worried.
"Vox thought about pointing out that he’d never told Alastor where his studio was." The reason Vox was still at the forefront of Alastor's mind enough to look into him, though, had more to do with the way he'd intrigued him.
"He startled at the sound of the door closing behind him, reality suddenly catching up with him." Alastor absolutely intended to scare Vox by shutting the door. He also still hasn't ruled out killing him.
“You know, I don’t believe anyone has ever been brave enough to say so to my face.” Alastor is absolutely enjoying the banter.
"Alastor eyed him consideringly for a moment before he nodded to himself and started to turn away." This was Alastor deciding not to kill him.
"Alastor looked down at where his hand clutched him in surprise." Now Alastor is particularly surprised by Vox's boldness, and a little impressed.
Alastor was absolutely just going to wait in the shadows of the bar until Vox got up to leave. Though, if Vox hadn't waited very long, Alastor probably would have just let him leave without appearing.
<We’re literally on the same wavelength!> In my rewrite, it was important for me to include this line, since I'd written Vox using it on Lucifer, and I also wanted to show them leaning they could communicate through their frequency.
"The way Alastor was looking at him… whenever he looked at him like that, Vox felt like he was on top of the world." Alastor is so proud of his picture box, and he has really come to admire him. He's smitten, he just doesn't realize it.
“... Yes there were times, I’m sure you knew, when I bit off more than I could chew…” I'd already written Alastor repeatedly telling off Vox for biting off more than he could chew before I realized that's literally a line in My Way, and it couldn't be more perfect.
Their falling out takes place in November 1976, which is also the same month Lucifer and Lilith divorced because I wanted to parallel their relationships.
"Alastor’s remarks about Vox’s work became more and more scathing." They didn't really, they just built up and Vox started interpreting them as scathing.
"The only other option seemed to be that he was resenting Vox for becoming successful." He doesn't, but he does miss how things used to be when Vox wasn't quite so obsessed with work. It's a vicious cycle - Alastor criticizes a part of Vox's work, Vox throws himself into his work to prove himself to Alastor, Vox is so focused on his work it's all he talks about, which gives Alastor more to criticize. And Alastor is left missing the things they used to talk about.
Alastor does also just think that Vox can do better, and he honestly thinks he's just giving constructive criticism.
“Not do what?” Despite not liking how so many of their conversations are about Vox's work, Alastor honestly doesn't think there's anything wrong in their friendship.
"Alastor hummed noncommittally (though perhaps a bit judgmentally)" He's disappointed but not surprised that the conversation has turned to Vox's work.
“It’s only a matter of time before you crash and burn.” In his own way, he is looking out for Vox.
“Do yourself a favor, and think before you continue.” Alastor has been aware for a while that Vox has feelings for him, but he came to the conclusion that so long as Vox was content to not act on those feelings, everything would be fine. Perhaps subconsciously, though, he has been worried about Vox's feelings ruining their friendship.
"Alastor was already shaking his head, and he was still laughing. Vox had never hated his laugh so much." Love that I predicted Alastor's laughter being a part of this.
“Why do you even hang around with me?” Alastor can tell Vox is getting upset now, but he honestly doesn't understand why.
“Now, let’s not get carried away." Alastor was referring to Vox's temper here, not him being his equal, but that's, of course, not how Vox took it.
“Calm down, Vox. All this over a little rejection?” Even though Vox just kicked him out, Alastor is still trying to hold onto their relationship.
"Leave, before I remove you.” Alastor said this same thing to Vox in chapter 2, and he was intentionally channeling Vox there.
“It’s unfortunate things had to end this way." Of course, Alastor can't show that he is hurting, too.
Wow, I had a lot more for that chapter than I'd thought I would! Good pick!
