@bewitchedmuses from HERE
Alastor had spent the following day thinking about Vox just as the other overlord was, though his thoughts were far more dreary. Vox might've accepted his gift but it hadn't gone over well. The other had been suspicious of his intentions and feeling his presence was unwelcomed he left the partly.
Of course he hadn't thought one gift would right all the wrongs he had did, but he hoped that it was a gesture to show he wanted to try to rebuild what he had unknowingly thrown away. He spent his time wondering what else he could do or if he should even try. It might just be best that he should leave Vox be and allow him to move on. The latter option was likely for the best but he couldn't help but feel this sting in his chest.
That evening he spent his time at the bar drinking. And drinking more. He drank until Husk even left to go to his room, leaving him alone at the bar very intoxicated. Four empty whiskey bottles on the counter with a forth one in his hand, his other hand holding up his head. When he heard a familiar voice his ears angles towards the other overlord but he didn't look over, thinking that it was just a drunken hallucination. But then he looked down at the small box that was placed on the counter. He set the bottle down and reached out to pick the gift up to carefully open. It was a lovely vintage watch, made with expensive metals and hand engraved floral patterns.
"It's beautiful..." Alastor caressed it gently and looked over at Vox. "Why'd you get me something so nice?"
The plan had been simple. Visit the Hotel, find Alastor, drop off the gift without making a big deal out of it and get the fuck out. He had assumed that locating his rival would have been the hardest part, especially since he was hellbent on not getting spotted by everyone else in the process, so finding him at the bar, sitting alone, had felt like a stroke of luck.
Since the most difficult step had turned out to be easy, everything else should have gone as smoothly, right? Which was absolutely great.
Or, at least, that was what he had thought until the Radio Demon had asked his question, looking at him in a way he couldn't decipher but that had caused the Media Overlord's insides to twist in a way that was, at the same time, painful and hopeful.
"I..." He started, but his voice trailed off immediately after, since he didn't have a ready answer. Fuck, he didn't even know if he had any answer either. One that he was ready to spell out loud, at least.
His shoulders sagged as he glanced away, lips pressed together in a thin line. His gaze travelled around the bar, to have an excuse not to look at Alastor, and eventually landed on the whiskey bottles. It looked like the other had had a busy night. Not that he had any right to judge when he was in desperate need of a drink himself.
Biting back a heavy sigh, Vox took a seat in the stool next to the one the Radio Demon was occupying, reaching out for the still unfinished bottle. With just one, quick look at the label, he brought it to his mouth, taking a generous gulp from it.
"Look, Al, I meant what I said yesterday. I don't get what you're playing at...if you're playing at all," he admitted, voice tight as the tension in his shoulders. "You suddenly taking such a keen interest in me, after everything, it's...weird. It makes no sense. So, I won't apologise for thinking that it might be just another of your schemes, but..."
He was a greedy fool who needed to think that, perhaps, he could get a chance. After all the pain, the humiliation, the anger, the heartbreak...maybe he could still get something that would have made it all somewhat worth his trouble.
"I guess this gift is me deciding to take that risk and hear you out properly. Since...we obviously have shit to talk about. If you'll allow it."
