•26 years old •She/her; Demigirl •Currently obsessing over BG3 and Hazbin Hotel/the Hellaverse. •I don't do irl names so just call me Druid. •Autism spec •Ace recently out of the hole (I'm on the Asexual spectrum and I just now realized that, to be clear.) •My asks are open •No seriously ask me something I'm so bored! •Lgbt Ally •Asstarion enthusiast🍑 •MDNI because I'm a grown ass woman who's gonna post whatever the fuck I want. •Bigots DNI •Pearl clutchers DNI
Fi The Hornless -A talented bard and a member of Arva's pack. She helped look after a juvenile Winnie.
Elora Ancunin -Under developement...
RP Note: Winnie is currently open to answering questions from all of you beautiful people! She is an open book so do not be afraid to ask away! Astarion may even make an appearance in the reply depending on the question. No he will not bite you, Araj! Just make sure to label your ask; Dear Winnie, Question for Winnie, Hey Winnie, I dare Winnie to, etc, and we will let the fun begin!
More NSFW type questions are accepted, but only by people who have their age visible on their blogs. Minors attempting to ask or anons without any age identification will be blocked/ignored. (Also let's try not to ask anything too gross okay.... I'm into some weird stuff but you know limits, my dude.)
~During campaign Winnie fics Masterlist~
[Click Here Darling~]
~Multi-part Fanfics~
[This Bites] Astarion x Chubby Female MC
A young woman ends up literally stuck with a fictional vampire from her newest video game obsession! She now must deal with keeping him safe and hidden all the while dealing with stress from her shitty stepdad.
Chapters: 1, 2, 3 ,4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9
Valentine's Day Special: Eat Your Heart!
This Bites: Christmas Special!
[The Spawn Vs The Ascendant] (Fem) Tav x Astarion(s).
Astarion and his lover Tav are happily together after defeating Cazador and freeing 7000 vampire spawn into the Underdark. They are now preparing to take on the Elderbrain when an Astarion look alike, claiming to be 'The Vampire Ascendant' appears and demands the Spawn hand Tav over to him.
Parts: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4
The Spawn vs Tav vs The Ascendant: A smutty one-shot that doesn't really take place in any particular time during the events of TSvTA. MDNI 18+ (Though if I'm honest it probably takes place post story.)
[Firsts] (Named!Fem! Tav x Astarion) Winnie has noticed her vampiric companion had been acting much more aggressively flirtatious lately. Of course, he flirted with everyone, this was common sense. But ever since Winnie had given him a taste of her blood it seemed she was the main target of his affections. Which quite frankly confused the hells out of the young druid. He couldn't actually be interested in her? Could he?
MDNI 18+ There is smut! The second half involves the Tiefling party!
[1/2] [2/2]
[Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts] (Chubby F!Tav x Astarion) After failing yet again to find a good lead on the Ring of the Sunwalker Tav and Astarion return to their current and hopefully temporary home in the Underdark only to be greeted by a distress signal from an old friend and an invitation to extravagant soiree hosted by an eccentric stranger!
Chapters: One ,
~Headcanon lists!~
[Astarion x chubby!reader headcanons!] (GN! Reader)
[🍿Watching movies with Astarion!🍿] (GN! Reader)
[BG3 companions babysitting your kids!] (GN! Reader)
[Telling the companions baby news!] (GN! Reader)
[Meet the Parents!] (A fun little writing challenge I put together. I wrote up headcanons of Astarion meeting my Tav's parents and Winnie meeting Astarion's parents.)
[Astarion's Teddy 🧸] (A little HC about Winnie giving Star a plush.)
~Other~
[All Wrapped up!] A short AstarionxF!Tav Christmas one-shot inspired by my God-awful ability to wrap presents.
[We'll Protect Each Other] While staying at an inn in the Underdark Tav and Astarion are forced to protect each other. Tav defends her lover's honor which later leads to a visit in the night from a familiar face. (Protective! Tav x Astarion One-Shot.)
[The Bite Scene] A rewrite of Astarion's bite camp event with my Tav, Winnie. It was basically a draft from my abandoned long fic.
[The Monster Hunter] Happens right before the The Bite Scene. It's a rewrite of the encounter with Gandrel out in the bog. Another draft from my abandoned long fic that I just decided to share.
[Indulging Curiosity] (F!Tav x Astarion SMUT MDNI) After a particularly bloody battle with a pack of gnolls Astarion finds himself rather hot and bothered seeing his favorite little druid absolutely drenched in blood. Unable to help himself he invites her to join him for an evening of pleasure where he indulges in some of Tav's sexual curiosities.
[Seriously, now!?] (Named!Tav x Astarion, period comfort fic) After causing a scene, embarrassing and being shouted at by the party's own resident wizard, Winnie storms off alone to sulk. Her monthly bleeding is upon her and making everything seem so much worse! But perhaps her vampiric lover can make it all better? (MDNI, slight smut at the end.)
[Forever] A requested rewrite of the camp event where Astarion's siblings come to kidnap him, but featuring Winnie!
[Delicious] (Named!Tav x Astarion) While camping in the Underdark the tadpole crew gather around the fire telling stories to pass the time. One way or another they turn into tales of old lovers. Which brings up a curious question? How come Winnie had no lovers before Astarion? (MDNI SMUT AT END)
~Taglists~
[This Bites] Comment on the latest chapter to be added!
[Winnie during BG3] Comment here to be tagged whenever I drop any fics that take place during Baldur's Gate 3 campaign!
[The Spawn Vs The Ascendant] Comment here to be added to the taglist, but hurry! This fic will soon be complete!
Ao3 Account Though most of my stuff will probably be updated here on Tumblr first!
Blog Rules ig: Okay so I normally try to promote positivity it's why my fics are mostly comedy based. That being said, anyone who comes here acting like an asshat is getting blocked. I don't tolerate homophobia, heterophobia, biphobia, panphobia or really any kind of discrimination towards anyone's sexuality. Transphobic behavior is also unacceptable and will result in a block. Racism, or sexism of any kind is also not tolerated, understand? We're all going to be friends here. Treat people the way you want to be treated.
Non-BG3 Fics: Setting up a little spot to link the masterlist to my Hazbin Hotel fic, Seeing Red.
Hello my dudes. I know I haven't been very active on Tumblr but with the latest update basically ruining the reblog function I'm considering moving my future works to bluesky. In the meantime all my stuff can also be found on my ao3.
Content/Warnings: Alastor is portrayed as Demiromantic/Asexual, Oc uses She/Her pronouns, there is some mild sexual harassment (cat calling) in the beginning, gore, violence and swearing (obviously). MDNI!
Chapter One Link
“Move out of the way bitch!” Ester was rudely shoved over by a strange green shark man. She was breathing a little harder than she intended. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She was in hell. No, it couldn't be this had to be a fucked up dream. She wasn't even dead!
Denizens of Hell were scrambling about, everyone going their own way almost like regular human citizens aside from the occasional demon on fire or the fact that two people were trying to murder each other and most of them didn’t seem to care. Ester was still processing the whole thing as a group of aquatic-like demons passed her. One of them wolf whistled at her saying something about her being a sexy little goth girl which immediately made Ester snap out of her trance and recoil in disgust. She quickly began to move away quickly getting as far away from the cat caller as possible. Her mask she'd been wearing previously now left behind on the street in her panic.
‘I need to get out of here. Where's the portal I came from?’ Ester looked around before returning to the spot she'd first appeared in hell. The portal was now long gone. The dark haired woman began to panic, realizing there was no way back.
Then footsteps were heard behind her.
“Ah! Sorry! I'm very flattered but I'm not interested!”
“There you are…Pretty thing~” A deep raspy voice cooed out, causing Ester to turn back and see a massive, muscular, shark-like humanoid.
“I like me, a cute little goth bitch.” His breath reeked of alcohol and blood.
“Don't be like that~ come on let me take ya home.”
“I don't go home with people I've just met…”
“Come one don't be shy sweetie let me-”
Ester shook in fear before grabbing a beer bottle off the ground in desperation. “Back the fuck up, pal. I said I'm NOT interested.” The gothic clothed female broke the bottle making the end sharp. The shark man made a move towards Ester who immediately swung the bottle at him, slightly a small cut into his hand as she grit her teeth in a snarl. Strangely an inhuman sound came out of her mouth, as if she was actually growling like a beast.
“Ah! Why you little whore! You'll pay for that!” The shark man snarled before suddenly something dove into the alley way fast, crashing right into the demonic shark male and sending him flying off into an opposite street. Ester flinched for a moment before looking up to see a large blue limo with a silver dragon hood ornament perched upon it. The front window quickly rolled down.
“Miss Ester? Is it?” A small blue skinned imp demon looked out with little red eyes. He was dressed in a small fancy suit with black hair, thin black horns with slender white stripes and a black handlebar moustache.
“Yes? But uh….How do you know my name?” Ester blinked before looking over towards the small being sitting in the front of the limo.
“I was sent here to take you somewhere safe, please hurry. I'm a friend I promise.” The imp presses a button to unlock the door, making a clicking sound. Ester looked around with hesitation. This was not a good idea, getting into a stranger's car, but considering she had just nearly been assaulted and the streets were littered with chaos. There really wasn't much else she could do.
“Please miss. It's not safe out here…” He said, his voice soft spoken and polite. The only thing that got Ester to finally agree was a blood curdling scream coming from somewhere. She yanked the door open and climbed inside, locking the door behind her. The imp quickly backed out of the alley and got back on the main road.
“My name is Pip, Miss. I work for your father.” The imp says as he steps on the gas pedal, his tail pulls on the gear shift as they begin to move forward down the street.
“My father? My father died years ago! He was in a car accident!” Ester exclaimed remembering her mother's words to her when she had become old enough to understand death.
“I’m afraid that couldn't be further from the truth, my lady. Your father is very much alive. He's here in hell.” Pip kept his eyes on the road.
“What?! How? I'm very confused.”
“Your mother kept this hidden from you for your own good. So you could live a normal life on Earth but now you're here and that changes everything.”
“No you can't be telling me this….Are you saying I'm a fucking demon!?” Ester tensed up before suddenly looking up into the rear-view mirror. Her crystal blue eyes were gone now, replaced with glowing red orbs like blood.
“Not fully. You are half demon. Your mother was a human woman, but your father was, is, a goetic prince. A hellborn demon of immense power.”
“This….This…has to be a fucking dream…” Ester grabbed her raven colored locks, pulling on them lightly. “And mom…Oh….God.. She's not here is she?”
“No, my dear child. I don't believe so. Your father would have found her already if she was. She was a good woman, it's likely she's in heaven with other souls like her.” Pip gave a sad smile and glanced back at Ester who had been taking a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself. “We'll be driving for quite some time. Your father's estate is a good way from Imp City. So if you have any questions don't be afraid to ask.”
Ester stayed quiet mostly, her heart was racing. Her hands were shaking and as she looked down at them she began to notice her fingernails looked almost as if they sharpened slightly. It seemed just being in this place had changed her physically. She glanced back up in the mirror and noticed her ears were now slightly pointed and her teeth. Her canines had become elongated.
“I understand this is probably a big shock. Your form is changing now since you've arrived here. Your demonic side is becoming more present.”
“I am unsure. We're hoping to find a way to send you back to Earth but…Things are complicated. The living are not permitted here. It is actually supposed to be impossible for you to come without dying but I suspect your hellborn lineage bypassed that.”
“Great…Now I'm going through demon puberty…” Ester let out a pained laugh, forcing a grin before immediately returning to a more tired frown. Her red eyes looked out upon the chaos of the city.
“What's going to happen after we meet my…..my father…?”
Ester remained pretty quiet for the remainder of the ride. Her mind was a complete mess of questions, but most of them she wanted to be answered by this so-called father of hers. She glanced out at the red skies which seemed to dim the more time passed. The same strange pentagram moon and winged glowing planet were always present in the sky. Pip offered her some alcoholic beverages from the mini fridge inside of the limo but she declined. Ester’s mind couldn't help but wonder why her father never made himself known to her. Hell, even if he had to hide his identity he could have still been in her life couldn't he?
~•~•~•~•~
It had gotten darker when they arrived in front of the estate. A massive stone fence surrounded the place, and beyond that was a sizable stone manor. The mansion itself was made from onyx colored stone with a golden trim. Ester exited the limo alongside Pip who immediately pulled out a gun. The half-demon tensed up before suddenly the imp shot at something that had been crawling up the side of the mansion. It was some demon whose head now was a bunch splattered bloody chunks all over the ground.
“Quickly Miss Ester, it's best we get inside!” Pip then grabbed Ester’s forearm and began to lead her inside. Large ornate doors opened immediately as another imp stood there, waiting. He was around the same size as Pip, the two of them standing about half a foot shorter than Ester, but his hair was white and his horns were thicker, more mostly white with black stripes. His skin was the same pale blue as Pip’s as well.
“Dad! Hurry up!” The unfamiliar imp said as Pip ushered Ester inside. The doors seemed to close behind them, almost as if they were being controlled by some unseen force.
“What the hell was that?” Ester blinked before looking around in worry. The three of them stood at the beginning of a long corridor which led deeper into the mansion.
“An assassin sent by one of your father's enemies I assume.” Pip let out a deep breath. “Things have been tense as of late but I didn't imagine they would actually attack the manor. We need to speak with your father at once.”
“Prince Than was in his study last I checked.” The younger imp replied.
“Thank you, Mac. We'll need to take Miss Ester there immediately.” Pip said before he gestured for the half human to follow them.
“This is Ester?” Mac gasped in surprise, “she's a lot shorter than I thought she'd be!” Ester's eye twitched in response.
“Don't be rude! She is a Goetian Princess and you will show some respect!” Pip scolded his son.
“Sorry dad.” Mac replied, tail hanging low as they walked down the hall. Ester's eyes perked up to see a few humanoid canines waiting around on two legs, all dressed and armed with some kind of weapon as they patrolled the mansion. Finally they reached a large room with all manner of treasures scattered about, along with many, many books and quite a lot of pillows. Most of which were floating up above their heads. Ester's ruby colored eyes widened as she noticed a figure drop down along hoard of treasure and cozy looking pillows. Large blue and black talons clicked across the floor as the large being came into view. It was dragon-like and its body covered in dark blue scales as well as glowing sky blue feathers. On’s back were a large pair of feathery wings and lower was a long tail. Its muzzle was almost beak-like and just beneath the creature’s curved dragon-horns were a pair of ruby red orbs which stared down at Ester intensely as they grew wider. The beast let out a cry that sounded like a mix between a lion and a large bird of prey.
Ester froze, her mind completely unsure of what to say or do. What the hell was this thing!?
“Lord Thanatas, we've brought the princess at your command.” Pip and Mac knelt down in front of the large beast that immediately began to make a move towards Ester. The dark haired girl flinched as the creature moved towards her quickly.
“My sweet girl.” Suddenly the giant beast shrank down into the form of a grey skinned man with black and blue hair, horns, wings and a long feather and scale covered tail. He stood a little taller than Ester before pulling her into a hug, making her flinch at the touch of someone who despite being her father very much felt like a stranger. His clothing consisted of a Victorian style, blue suit with a frilly white cravat. Ester looked down as he hugged her gently, dragon tail curling up into a question mark, almost like a cat's. Ester gave him a slight pat on the back before eventually pulling away and putting some distance between the two.
“I um….I'm not sure what to say…” She suddenly spoke up. “Why….Why am I only meeting you now?” Ester grit her teeth, a frown forming on her face.
“The details of your birth are complicated. Not many demons are permitted to access the Earthly realm and those who are, are there for business only. My relationship with your mother was not thought highly of and well you were unexpected.” Thanatas looked away in slight shame, his mind going back to the memories of his peers disapproving of him shirking his duties to spend time with a mortal woman.
“Offspring between a mortal and Hellborn … .It was unheard of before you came. Most believed it to be impossible, but then you happened and I was forbidden from returning to Earth for creating something that scared most of Hell's elites.” Thanatas’ red orbs scanned around, his pointed elf-like ears twitched from under his horns.
“I'm here now….But will I be able to go back?” Ester began to say before suddenly one of the nearby windows shattered. These fish-like demons crashed into the building, rifles held up. Than grabbed hold of Ester and Mac, shielding them with his wings, the feathers hardening like scales as Pip shot at one of the assassins with his pistol.
“We'll have to figure that out.” Than said as his hellhound guards ran into the study, their guns blazing.
“Sure, we need to flee.” Pip chimes in. Thanatas nods before ushering the two along with him. Pip follows, but guards from behind Than as the three of them run.
“I can't send you back because I'm forbidden from entering the human realm, as is anyone else in our house.”
“Then what do I do now!? Are you saying I'm stuck here!?”
“Unfortunately yes, but I will do everything in my power to find someone who can help.” Thanatas promised.
“Provided our enemies do not slaughter us all before then.” Pip chimes in as he just barely dodges a bullet before shooting back. “We need to find somewhere to hide the Princess until then, sire.”
“Hayden should be here soon. You may have to flee with him while I handle this.” Thanatas immediately turned around and sliced through a demon with razor sharp fingernails, causing dark black, blood to splatter all over him. He made a noise that sounded like a roar with the echo of a falcon’s screech, intimidating any closing in intruders from coming any closer. “Lucifer damnit all, there's more coming. “ Than cursed before pushing Mac and Ester down the hall with enough force to send them flying towards a door. Ester was able to steady herself as she flew across the hall while Mac tumbled over and fell on the ground. The half-demon looked down and grabbed hold of Mac helping him up as another bullet went flying in their direction, just barely missing them! Pip covered the two as they ran out the door eventually being stopped by a huge fish-like demon with a large battle axe. The aquatic demon was about to swing his blade down upon Ester when he was sliced right down the middle by a fast moving object. The fish demon fell into two halves, pieces of his intestines and organs falling in front of Ester's feet with a sickening squelch.
She went pale before looking up to see an extremely tall demon who somewhat resembled her father with his face and eyes. But instead of looking half dragon, he was half owl? It was hard to explain. He didn't have a beak but instead of hair there were these long white feathers that hung down like hair and on top of his head were two toughs of feathers that made him look like a great horned owl. His body was mostly human looking but he also had dragon-like tail covered in feathers. The stranger looked down at a blood soaked talon-like hand before licking it clean.
“Hayden!” Pip spoke up as he closed the door behind them. “More of them are coming, we need to get your sister out of here!”
“Sister?” Ester blinked in revelation that this stranger was her brother. That she actually had a sibling. It might have brought a tear to her eye if it wasn't for the fact that they were currently being hunted down like animals.
“This way, we'll escape in the van!” Hayden said before leading the others to a sky blue van that had the words ‘DON’T LOOK AT ME’ on the side. The four of them got in and quickly sped off.
“Ester, this is your father's eldest child and heir to the house. Hayden, this is Ester your half sister.” Pip soon introduced them as they were able to put some distance between themselves and the manor.
“Okay I am very confused. What the fuck is going on back there!?” Ester looked back out the window.
“One of father's old rivals has been sending assassins after him for the past few months. A noble family in hell called the Crafts have always hated us. Something happened between their head and dad a long time ago and now they're attacking us. And now with you here…This complicates things.” Hayden explained.
“Most importantly, we need to find somewhere safe for you to hide out.” Pip continued, “There are already so many fiends who'd be all too thrilled to get their hands on a member of the goetian nobility and if the wrong people were to discover the truth of your birth, your human heritage. It could be bad…”
“I don't see how much worse it could be to be honest.” Mac suddenly chimes in. “Just means we have another member of hell's Royal big people, that's all?”
“A human half breed has never been born before Mac. People might overreact and try to harm Ester.” Hayden explained to him before letting out a sigh before turning to look at Ester. “Sorry for all the craziness that was suddenly sprung on you. I really wish I could have met you sooner.”
“What’s going to happen now?” Ester says. The others all paused in thought. Eventually it was Mac that decided to speak up before the others.
“Hey! Hayden! Weren't you and Than friends with some people up top? Lucifer or something? Maybe you can ask them to send Ester back home.” The teenage imp exclaimed as he looked up at the demon prince.
“That's complicated…. Lucifer hasn't been seeing people for the past seven years. And besides the last time him and Dad spoke it did not end well. Satan has kind of taken over his duties and you know he's definitely not the person you want to know about someone like Ester.”
“What about Lucifer’s daughter? Princess Charlie seems like a nice lady and I hear she's making some rehab hotel for sinners! That could be a great place for Ester to hide out!” Mac exclaimed.
“Mac don't be ridiculous, Pentagram City is full of depraved sinners and even worse overlords!” Pip argued.
“It's not like I have many options.” Ester shrugged, looking down before looking back at her brother. “If you think this is the safest option.”
“Pip, has a point but…” Hayden began to think, “it actually might be genius. Ester would be under the Princess's protection and by extension the Morningstar family’s protection. She would be hidden in plain sight. No one would think to look in such a place.” The feathered demon smirked slightly before then looking back at Ester.
“Of course we'll only do this if you're on board with it.”
“It may be the only option.” The white feathered male hummed. “I know the Princess. She's very much the selfless helping type and that is definitely a rarity down here.” Hayden looked back at Pip who began to turn down a road with a street sign above it that said, ‘Pentagram City 60 miles’.
As Ester sat in the car she kept her eyes on the world around her. Massive jagged spikes were off way in the distance, almost looking like mountains as they surrounded Hell’s landscape. Hayden eventually turned back to Ester from his seat. “Here, because I missed so many of your birthdays, I have a few things for you.” He grinned with sharp teeth before conjuring this pink Hellphone in his hand which had a red dragon on the back. Then he took out something from his coat. Ester blinked in confusion as she was handed the phone before seeing him pull out an obsidian colored egg that was just large enough to fill one of his hands.
“What's that?” Ester looked at the egg in worry as it seemed to wobble slightly on its own.
“Hellbun egg. They're like Earth's rabbits; except they eat everything and imprint on the first person they see.” Hayden said with a smirk. Suddenly there was a cracking noise. The egg slowly began to crumble apart, revealing a little white ball of fluff with beady red eyes and tiny horns on its head.
“You said they eat everything?”
“Makes feeding them more convenient. Don't worry they're pretty obedient just make sure this little one has something to munch on. Like cake or something.”
“Cake for a rabbit?”
“Well it's not really a rabbit…They mostly just look like them.” Hayden explained. Ester held onto the small creature with a curious look. It was a bit abrupt to just give her a random creature she knew little to nothing about, but honestly the little beast was so cute she had trouble making any objections.
“I've sent word to the princess, but you should take this to her. It's a letter from me. That way she'll know you're not an imposter. Oh and a couple more things!”
“Wow Hayden has a bunch of late birthdays to make up for apparently.” Mac teased.
Ester was given both an itty bitty grimoire full of forbidden knowledge as well as an angelic dagger that Hayden said to be very careful with and NEVER use it unless absolutely necessary! Luckily with all these gifts piling up he also gave her a backpack to carry her shit in, as well as the hellbun who had a special pocket to ride in.
Ester was able to get to know her long lost brother a little bit as they drove across the Pride Ring hearing a bit about the difference kinds of denizens of hell, like Sinners who were human souls who'd died and were sent there, Overlords who were very powerful sinners that owned other souls and of course hellborn which were demons who were born in hell. Although the goth supposed she was probably the only Earth born demon then? It was hard to quite put her in a category.
Eventually off in the distance a tall, odd-looking building stood, built upon a cliff. She noticed a boat on one of the power sides, a radio tower on one of the upper sides and a merry go on the other. The main building itself was clearly a hotel but the rest was just weird and random. Overhead of course was a neon pink sign that said ‘Hazbin Hotel.’
“Now remember my dear sister.” Ester's brother spoke up, “You're a hellborn girl from the Wrath Ring. Only Princess Charlotte knows of your true identity and above all DO NOT make any deals with demons. Not even if your life depends on it.” He said sternly.
“Okay I got that.” Ester replied looking back into the red eyes of the demon prince. “But uh….How will I contact you if I need you?”
“We'll seek you out. You needn't go searching for me or father. Just keep that book and blade concealed but close.” Hayden said before looking off at the hotel. “This is where we part I suppose.” The van door unlocked, allowing Ester to get out into the street. They had stopped in a blindside of the hotel, just to make sure no one would get an easy peek at how Ester arrived here. Immediately, the van sped off, leaving the half-demon woman to slowly walk up the hill and towards the double doors. Just like the rest of Hell none of this felt real, but the hotel itself felt somehow more alien than anywhere else she had seen yet. The little demon rabbit her brother gifted her seemed to stay put in her pack, despite her movement. Hesitantly Ester knocked on the front doors of the hotel, slowly waiting for someone to let her inside. It took a few moments but eventually the doors opened. The first face she saw was a woman with long white and hair and gray skin who was around the same height as Ester herself.
“Charlie! We have a guest!…I think…” The woman called out before a much taller blonde came running over with a cheerful expression on her face.
“Oh my gosh! I'm so happy to meet you! You're our first guest-or well ACTUALLY second guest! Anyway my name is Charlie and welcome to the Hazbin Hotel!!!” The blonde exclaimed in excitement as she shook Ester’s hand. Ester tensed up a bit at the contact, taking her hand back and immediately giving the letter she'd been carrying to Charlie.
“I'm Ester. I was sent here to…help with the hotel.” Ester spoke calmly as she looked around taking in the layout of the lobby. The decor was tacky and there was a bar with several skulls, most prominently a large deer skull hanging above it. “My friend told me you should already know why I'm here.” The dark haired woman cleared her throat. Charlie opened the letter and snuck a peek, not letting the white haired woman look at the paper which caused her to frown and then stare right at Ester who gave a small nervous smile.
“Right! Your brother told me about you! You're here to help maintain the hotel!” Charlie immediately crumbled up the paper and put it into her pocket. “We don't exactly have a lot of staff here as it is sooooo…I might just have to give you some odd jobs here and there, oh wait how about the kitchen? Can you cook?”
“Can? Yeah! That's something I'm actually good at!” Ester said with a wide grin.
“Charlie!” The white haired girl spoke up and stepped between Ester and the blonde. She seemed a bit suspicious of Ester's sudden appearance. Ester felt a bit of sweat go down her brow as she noticed the shorter girl was holding a spear. “Who is this girl?” She muttered under her breath.
“I'll explain later, Vaggie , just trust me.” Charlie murmured back to her before turning and grabbing the half demon by the arm. “Now! Let's give Ester a tour of the hotel! Oh or maybe we should get everyone in here so they can welcome her!” She sang out. Ester immediately gulped at the thought of a whole building full of people coming to greet her.
“Yayyy…..” Ester said nervously as she was taken further into the parlor.
“Everyone! I would like to introduce you all to the newest member of our hotel staff! This is Ester!” Charlie announced before pushing the much shorter goth girl in front of her. Ester looked up to see about three people in total. A teeny tiny cyclops girl who'd been speeding around the room stabbing bugs on the ground with what looked like a needle or pick of some kind, an incredibly tall, fuzzy androgynous looking person who sat at the bar and a bartender who was literally a cat with wings. “Ester this is our first and only resident Angel Dust, bartender Husk, and our maid Niffty."
“Hiya! You wanna see me punish the roaches. They've been bad…..” The tiny cyclops chuckled darkly, holding a roach in one hand and a tiny model guillotine in another hand.
Ester and Charlie immediately both backed away from Niffty before the princess told Ester, “she's a little eccentric but I promise she only hurts roaches……Most of the time….”
“She literally tried to stab me this morning when you told her to take care of all the spiders in the closet! Seriously!”
“Anyway! I believe that was everyone aside from Vaggie, my wonderful partner and oh Alastor! Our gracious facility manager…Uh where's Alastor?” Charlie looked around almost as if she expected him to materialize out of thin air at the very mention of his name. Ester just stood there in complete confusion, looking around for some unseen person before then she noticed a shadow looking over her very form and chill went down her spine. She slowly turned around as she heard the sound of static filling her ears, like a radio that failed to pick up a station. Her red eyes widened as she saw a towering figure looking over her with glowing red eyes and a wide cheshire cat grin. He was cloaked in red and had the oddest pair of animal ears on top of his head along with a tiny pair of horns? No, antlers. Ester froze on the spot, petrified in what one might call fear or perhaps even astonishment. She barely had time to react before her hand was grabbed and violently shook. Ester's brain began to set off alarm bells signaling her immense discomfort.
“Pleasure to be meeting you my dear! Quite the pleasure! Allow me to introduce myself! I am Alastor, the host of the hotel.” The red haired stranger's grin widened as Ester inevitably pulled away almost instinctively. Despite wearing a smile there was something about his grin that didn't seem very happy.
“Likewise…” Ester said, pressing her hand to her clothes.
“Alastor! This is Ester! She's going to be staying at the hotel and helping us!” Charlie explained, not seeming to see Ester's distress. Ester rubbed her hands, noticing little white marks slowly disappearing on her hand. Damn, his fingers were sharp.
“Aho! Another lost soul joins our merry little band! And I didn't even have to drag this one here, how splendid!” His voice sounded more amused than joyous, granted the wide ass grin on his face was making him very tricky to read. And usually Ester was rather decent getting vibes off people, but this guy. This guy seemed like an enigma, a puzzle she couldn't help but want to dissect and study. But at the same time Ester could feel one thing that radiated off of him. Danger. He definitely belonged down here.
“Well my dear should you need anything at all I'm sure our darling Charlotte will be able to tend to anything you desire.” Alastor said, sounding a bit condescending. Charlie quickly took Ester’s hand and led her through the halls. The demon princess began singing about how the hotel is like a big family and everyone was so happy to meet her. Ester was incredibly weirded out by the whole welcome party. The constant touching reminded her too much of back on Earth as a child when her aunts, uncle and stepdad would force her to go to church and everyone wanted to hug her, shake her hand and then everyone would be so offended if she declined their ‘friendly’ affections. It felt smothering but she managed to brush away her discomfort, most of the time, anyway.
The spontaneous singing and everything being so well choreographed was also very strange. Like sure sometimes Ester sang to herself, but did they do this to everyone who entered the hotel? Every fucking time? It was far too perfect to be possible!
Hell being a musical was definitely not on Ester's bingo card this year. Neither was actually going to Hell in general but you get it. The others gradually joined into the song, all giving a little bit of information on what they thought of it and the idea. Vaggie seemed wholeheartedly to support Charlie and by extension the hotel itself. The others were less enthusiastic, Alastor in particular was literally just shit talking the hotel while using fancy words to make it seem less insulting than it was.
After a long song and dance Charlie gave Ester a room key and walked her through the hotel corridors. A cute little one eyed cat demon followed them, sticking close to Charlie as the two half demons ventured deeper into the hotel.
“So! We have activities every other morning and you're welcome to come participate if you want! Tomorrow we could get you started in the kitchen, but maybe for today you should get some rest.” Charlie said before stopping at the room.
“Thanks for taking me in, this really means a lot.” Ester smiles slightly before unlocking the door. For a moment the room looked like a basic hotel room before suddenly there was a flash and the room changed into a stone medieval styled room, with an elegant four poster bed, a stone fireplace across from it and a wooden desk near the window. There were also a couple of book cases around the bed and mounted over the fireplace was an impressive looking dragon skull. The room was amazing.
“Whoa….This is amazing.” Ester looked around the room, her face lighting up with a grin. It was almost as if the hotel itself knew her tastes.
“I’m so glad you like it, Ester!” Charlie chirped with a sweet smile. “I'll leave you to get settled in! And tomorrow I'll send Nifty to show you the kitchen!”
Ester said goodnight to Charlie before being left alone in what she would be calling her new home for the foreseeable future. She looked around the room, red eyes taking in every little detail before she sat down on the bed. The Hellbun her brother gave her crawled out of her backpack before looking up at her with its beady little red eyes before making a noise that sounded almost like a squeak.
“Oh shit. I almost forgot about you.” Ester turned to look at the tiny little creature. “I'm gonna have to find you something to eat and….Also give you a name. Maybe Jacob?” Ester tilted her head and looked down at the tiny beast. He sneezed before looking back at her.
“Nah you're definitely not a Jacob.” Ester said aloud before putting her hand in her pocket remembering the candy she stashed in there. She opened the little bag before dropping some on the bed, right in front of the little demon.
He sniffed them a couple times before suddenly his eyes turned black with red pupils and he made a strange face before opening his mouth. Black tendrils shoot out and snatch up each piece of candy before pulling them back into the Hellbun's little jaws. Ester blinked a couple of times in shock and slight horror. The creature’s eyes returned to their normal red and it let out another squeak, seemingly content with the snack.
“Ah….I think I'll name you Squick…Yeah…That fits…”
Something you liked popped up in my feed and it made me think of you.
I think so far on Tumblr, the way you write Astarion is my favorite!!! I think about him and Winnie a lot!!! Of all the fics I've read, yours has stuck with me the most. I've gone back and re-read a few times this year!
Me consuming your works:
OMG That's so sweet! Thank you! ☺️ I'm so happy my silly fics have actually left an impact on people! I always second guess my work so words like this really mean the world to me ❤️
Angel: Hey, what's going on? I found a note at Val's place: "Come to the hotel quick - bring champagne and a bottle of whiskey."
Husk (grabbing the whiskey): Yeah, I'll take that.
Angel: What's up?
Charlie: Y/N and Alastor are engaged!
Angel: Hey, congratulations! ....Where is she?
Y/N (shouting from the rooftop): I'M ENGAGED! I'M ENGAGED!
Vaggie: Yeah, she's been out there for 20 minutes. I'm surprised you didn't hear her on the way over.
Angel: Oh, I thought it was just a kid yelling, "I'm gay, I'm gay!"
Charlie (to Alastor): Can I bring her in, or...?
Alastor: No, no, let her stay out there - it's sweet.
Y/N (continuing her shouting): I'M GETTING MARRIED! I'M GONNA BE A BRIDE!
Random demon from somewhere else: SHUT UP BITCH!
Y/N: No, I will not shut up! Because I'm engaged!
Demon: *incohesive yelling and cursing*
Y/N: Oh, big talk, huh! Why don't you come over here and say that to me, huh, buddy?! My fiancée and I will kick your ass!
Everyone else: ......
Y/N: Come on, the Hazbin Hotel! Let's go!
Lucifer: ...okay (points at Alastor), you get her in here, (points at Charlie) you bolt the door, I'll be in the closet.
Hazbin Hotel|Helluva Boss (Alastor x OC x slight various)
Content Warnings\Plot plans: It's Hellaverse fic that should be a warning in it's own. Alastor is not in the first chapter but will be portrayed as Demiromantic\Asexual in the fic so don't expect smut. Perhaps slow burn fluff. There's also pretty much going to be the same stuff in the show, so violence, gore, dark humor, sex jokes etc. The MC uses She\her pronouns. Also MDNI this show is for adults and so is my fanfic.
Chapter 1 specific warnings: Angst, cyberbullying I guess, gore and a poorly written musical number by me. Please don't ask me to write more songs.
Light peaks through curtains and into the attic of an old rundown apartment complex. The beeping of messages being sent followed not too long after. A messy haired figure slumped out of bed with a yawn before rubbing her eyes.
“I’m fucking coming, jeez.” The figure slowly ran her pale fingers through her black hair before getting up and scurrying over to her desktop computer and checking her dms. Blue eyes scanned over the screen as the figure noticed she was getting some hateful messages over Tumblr from a user named XxEmberlynnDemonFuckerxX.
“Not this bitch again…”
Messages:
XxEmberlynnDemonFuckerxX:
HOW DARE U SAY THAT HARU AND AZARIEL-KUN R LIKE BROTHERS!!! THEY R 100000% CANON! In ep 57 of Akuma no Otto they were clearly looking into each other's eyes lustfully! FUCK U, U SHUD KYS!
“Annnd blocked.” The black haired female quickly hit the block button over XxEmberlynnDemonFuckerxX’s profile before scrolling a bit and checking her other notifications. A couple of her artworks had received a few likes but no comments seemed to be present. The girl frowned with a sigh, wondering if this was even worth doing. Ester then grimaced as she noticed a rather pungent odor coming from somewhere.
“Damnit, that must have been the rat I saw yesterday…Probably died…Ugh I'll get it in a minute I just need to get in a little writing…”
Just as she was about to pull the latest fanfiction draft she had been working she heard some banging from downstairs. She opened the trapdoor and slid down a ladder and into the sitting room of her teeny tiny apartment. As she approached the front door the banging persisted.
“ESTER YOU FUCKING BITCH YOUR RENT IS OVERDUE WHERE THE FUCK IS MY MONEY!?” The door bursts open and a tall bleach blonde, almost barbie-like woman in her 40s walks into the apartment.
“Ah! Destiny! I’m so sorry about the payments, I know it's not a good excuse but my boss just let me go and I've been trying to find another job I-I just need more time!” Ester steps back, hands up in front of her, shielding herself from the other woman.
“I have had enough of your shit! I let you stay here out of the kindness of my heart after your whore mother dropped dead!”
“I’ll get the money Destiny, just give me more time…Please…” Ester flinches as she is suddenly grabbed by the mostly silicone filled woman.
The next thing Ester knew she knew she was thrown outside followed by her computer which shattered upon impact with the sidewalk.
“You bitch! That cost me 1000 dollars!!”
She immediately stood up, flipping Destiny off with both her middle fingers before Ester’s mattress, her bags, notebooks, figures and plushies were thrown out and into a puddle on the sidewalk.
“HEY! THAT'S MY STUFF!!” Ester cried as she struggled to save her things, unfortunately the paper from her notebooks immediately began to dissolve, completely destroying some of her college work. Her plushies were immediately soaked and stained mud. Ester let out a scream of complete frustration as she tried to salvage what she could and grabbed her bags. Her life had been spiraling for the last year and a half ever since her mother passed. Destiny who'd been an old co-worker of her mother had pitied her and let her and let her stay in her complex free of charge for the first few months anyway. If Ester had been honest, it probably would have been a better choice to have found a different place to stay before that free of charge time ended. Even her mother had always warned her about Destiny having a few screws loose. But now she was gone and Ester was truly on her own and now without the comfort of her home and hobbies everything was really going to shit.
Smile through the Pain
(Lyrics by TheChaoticDruid)
(A/n:I advise either imaging a fast paced pop or rock themed melody or else the song will be depressing as fuck)
•••
Ester: Since you've been gone things aren't the same.
Can’t help feeling like I'm the one to blame.
I’m lost, unseen, good God I wish it all was just a dream.
It's like everyone’s out to get me, no chance in hell this luck’ll be redeemed.
But then I remember what you said when I was young and my mind so free.
When the world was kind and everyone so sweet. You'd tell me to smile, chin up, don't look back, just wait a while.
If this is what it takes to keep you alive with me.
I'll just have to smile through the pain.
(Smile through the Pain.)
My landlord kicks me out,
I'll just smile through the pain.
(Smile through the Pain.)
Car breaks down on me with no one around to see.I'll just smile through the pain.
(Smile through the Pain)
Creep on the street keeps following me around, starts to shout. I'll just smile through the pain.
(And kick his ass!)
Even when everything in this whole damn world never fails to drive me fucking insane.
I'll just grit my teeth and smile through the pain.
•••
I know that things will never ever be the same, can't help but feel that I'm the one to blame.
Can't do this without you, you're all I had, everything I ever wanted to be.
Got nowhere else to lean, no friends, no colleagues, no it's just me.
Then I go back in time and remember what you said. Smile, chin up and just wait a while, everything will be just fine.
So I'll keep you alive even if I have to lie to everyone, play, pretend like I haven't just lost my mind.
Boss kicks me out, says I'm fired, starts to shout.
I'll just smile through the pain.
(Smile through the Pain)
Life fucks me over, throws shots, punches, really knocks me off my ass.
I'll just smile through the pain.
(Smile through the Pain)
Karen wastes my time, brings me closer and closer to losing my mind.
I'll just smile through the pain.
(Fuck off Karen!)
Even when everything in this whole damn world never fails to drive me fucking insane.
I'll just try my damnest…to smile through the pain…..
•••••••••
Ester had taken a bit of a walk down town, dragging her belongings with her, all wrapped in a bedsheet, almost as if she was a traveling hobo. She shivered as a cool winter breeze brushed against face. She wore a black mask with a sharp tooth grin design over her face to protect her from catching any illnesses going around, but it wasn't very good at shielding her from the elements. Her legs brought her to a small convenience shop in the city which smelled of the savory meats that cooked upon a nearby stove. A petite woman with long blonde hair, ripped in pink was at the register, looking down at her phone with an intense expression of anger. She coughed a few times but kept her eyes glued to the screen.
“Morning Phoebe.” Ester gave a yawn as she placed her stuff down at a table that was set up for customers to eat at. Phoebe looked up with fiery rage in her eyes.
“That no good cheating bitch is texting me again!” the blonde hissed through gritted teeth. “After everything she did I hope she gets hit by a fucking bus!”
“You know, blocking her is an option, right?” Ester stretched out with a yawn.
“I know but I…I….UGH…I wish she'd die!” Phoebe growled at her phone. The dark haired female rolled her eyes. Ester places a hand over her friend’s, looking into her eyes. “Hey, look at me. She's not worth it. You're better than that.” Phoebe took a deep breath before looking over to see her friend’s things.
“What’s all that?” The blonde asked in confusion.
“Oh just most of my personal possessions…Destiny kicked me out this morning.” Ester let out a sigh and ran her fingers through her hair.
“Oh shit. E, are you okay?” Phoebe’s expression immediately turned from rage to worry and concern.
“Physically, yes. Mentally, I feel like I just got sucker punched in the forehead.” Ester rubbed her temples as she leaned over the front counter of the store. “I fell behind on the payments again and wasn't able to get a new job in time to fix everything. It's all a mess.”
“Dang. You want me to go and talk to that bitch for you?” Phoebe exclaimed, putting a fist into her hand before cracking her knuckles.
“No! Ahem, please Phoebe…I appreciate the offer but Destiny was really pissed the last time I saw her. I don't think antagonizing her any more is going to help.” Ester put her hands up in a gesture for Phoebe to calm down resulting in the blonde pouting momentarily.
“Oh alright, but you know I'm here for you. You can come stay at my place while you get this sorted out.”
“I really don't want to trouble you….”
“No Ester! I insist! You're like my sister er…sibling?”
“Sister's fine.”
“Either way, you've had my back since we were kids. It's the least I can do.” Phoebe immediately went in for a hug, causing Ester to tense up slightly for a moment only to relax and pet her friend's hair before slowly giving into the hug.
*Thanks Pheebs, you're amazing.” Ester said before pulling away, her crystal blue eyes scanned around the small shop, landing on some chocolate covered pocky sticks as she smiled slightly. “Man, after the morning I've had, I really could use something to-SHIT!” The dark haired girl frantically began checking her pockets.
“You have to shit?” Phoebe's eyes blinked in confusion.
“What? No! My wallet is missing!” Ester corrected her as she looked through her bag. It seemed her purse was missing too. “Damnit! I must have left it at the complex!” Ester ran her fingers through her hair before looking back at Phoebe. “Would it maybe be okay if I left my stuff here while I head back to get my wallet?”
“Yeah, of course. I'll keep an eye on it, for you!” Phoebe replied.
Ester quickly ran back out the door and down the street as her short black curls whipped behind her. It took a good 15 minutes to return to the apartment complex but it seemed to go by quickly. She eventually reached the complex and decided to take an alternate route inside. The side entrance was thankfully unlocked as she walked in.
‘Just need to get in, get my things and go…’ The black haired female carefully treaded across the halls, rounding the corner and quietly making her way down the corridor that would lead to her room. The apartment was quite empty today, even more so than it had been in the past few weeks. Yet for some odd reason she felt as if she was being watched.
Her old apartment wasn't too far now, just a few minutes from where she now stood.
The closer she went however, the more a familiar disgusting smell began to resurface.
What Ester assumed had been a deceased rat somewhere in her apartment was beginning to smell a whole lot worse, more pungent.
She arrived at her old apartment noticing that there was a red stain peaking out from under the door. Ester paused for merely a moment wondering if she should turn back, but she really needed her wallet so she opened the door and inside was a trail of red blood stains leading over towards the couch where a large human shaped form laid wrapped in a large bloody trash bag.
“Oh my fuck!” Ester gasped before suddenly feeling a sharp pain crash into the side of her head. She moved away, kicking whatever had attacked her and rolling out of the way before holding her bleeding head.
“What the hell!?” Destiny had appeared behind her with a baseball bat. “How are you still standing!?”
“What the fuck!?” Ester felt her head before looking down at her fingers and seeing dark red liquid staining them. “I always knew you were crazy but this? Oh my God.” The dark haired girl backed up against the wall.
“You should have never come back here. Now I'm going to have to send you to see your momma.” Destiny raised the bat over her head before suddenly a gun fired and a bullet blew the top of the baseball bat right off.
“DAMN IT MOXXIE! STOP MISSING! AIM FOR HER FUCKING HEAD!” An unfamiliar male voice screamed out. Ester didn't waste time to look and see who had shot at them. As soon as Destiny was distracted she bolted for it. Her wallet was long forgotten as she began to fear for her life.
Two intruders had entered the building around the same time Ester had and were now hunting the blonde landlord down. The only downside is Destiny has a secret stash of her own hunting tools.
Shots were fired and the place Ester had previously called home was now a battlefield. Her former bitchy landlord was a complete psychopath and honestly there wasn't any way things could get worse right?
“She came prepared sir! We need to retreat!!” A second unfamiliar voice rings throughout the halls.
“We're not leaving until that bitch is dead!” The first voice argued. Ester rounded another corner as a shot was fired hitting one of the nearby walls. That was way, way, way too fucking close. The dark-haired girl desperately increased her speed as she sprinted away, failing to eventually see an ancient looking book sitting on the floor as a large crimson colored portal stayed open above it. By the time she saw the swirling vortex she'd tripped and tumbled right into it.
The world around her suddenly changed in an instant and she fell down from the sky onto hard pavement. The portal behind her slowly closed as Ester was stunned from the impact of hard cement. Her head was spinning and her body hurt far less than it should have given she just fell from the sky.
“What just happened? Did…..Did I just fall into some kind or wormhole?” Ester spoke up as gathered herself, getting to her feet. She felt her head taking note that the pain had completely vanished. Her eyes glanced around her surroundings. Bright red skies hovered above her, a strange moon-like object in the sky with a pentagram on it floated above. Far past it was a bright glowing orb that Ester could only describe as angelic. The landscape around her was that of a gritty metropolitan area with large skyscrapers that towered above her.
“What the? This place looks like a hot topic barfed all over LA.” She whispered aloud as she began to walk forward from the back alley she had previously landed. Then suddenly someone ran past screaming at the top of their lungs while being on fire. Ester blinked and froze up where she was. Before her were all manner of strange humanoid beings, many of which looked very animal-like in their features while others had horns and devil tails giving her a good idea of what they were. And if that wasn't clear enough, the pentagram moon, and billboard titled 666 News just hammered it in through her head.
Hazbin Hotel|Helluva Boss (Alastor x OC x slight various)
Content Warnings\Plot plans: It's Hellaverse fic that should be a warning in it's own. Alastor is not in the first chapter but will be portrayed as Demiromantic\Asexual in the fic so don't expect smut. Perhaps slow burn fluff. There's also pretty much going to be the same stuff in the show, so violence, gore, dark humor, sex jokes etc. The MC uses She\her pronouns. Also MDNI this show is for adults and so is my fanfic.
Chapter 1 specific warnings: Angst, cyberbullying I guess, gore and a poorly written musical number by me. Please don't ask me to write more songs.
Chapter Two Link
Light peaks through curtains and into the attic of an old rundown apartment complex. The beeping of messages being sent followed not too long after. A messy haired figure slumped out of bed with a yawn before rubbing her eyes.
“I’m fucking coming, jeez.” The figure slowly ran her pale fingers through her black hair before getting up and scurrying over to her desktop computer and checking her dms. Blue eyes scanned over the screen as the figure noticed she was getting some hateful messages over Tumblr from a user named XxEmberlynnDemonFuckerxX.
“Not this bitch again…”
Messages:
XxEmberlynnDemonFuckerxX:
HOW DARE U SAY THAT HARU AND AZARIEL-KUN R LIKE BROTHERS!!! THEY R 100000% CANON! In ep 57 of Akuma no Otto they were clearly looking into each other's eyes lustfully! FUCK U, U SHUD KYS!
“Annnd blocked.” The black haired female quickly hit the block button over XxEmberlynnDemonFuckerxX’s profile before scrolling a bit and checking her other notifications. A couple of her artworks had received a few likes but no comments seemed to be present. The girl frowned with a sigh, wondering if this was even worth doing. Ester then grimaced as she noticed a rather pungent odor coming from somewhere.
“Damnit, that must have been the rat I saw yesterday…Probably died…Ugh I'll get it in a minute I just need to get in a little writing…”
Just as she was about to pull the latest fanfiction draft she had been working she heard some banging from downstairs. She opened the trapdoor and slid down a ladder and into the sitting room of her teeny tiny apartment. As she approached the front door the banging persisted.
“ESTER YOU FUCKING BITCH YOUR RENT IS OVERDUE WHERE THE FUCK IS MY MONEY!?” The door bursts open and a tall bleach blonde, almost barbie-like woman in her 40s walks into the apartment.
“Ah! Destiny! I’m so sorry about the payments, I know it's not a good excuse but my boss just let me go and I've been trying to find another job I-I just need more time!” Ester steps back, hands up in front of her, shielding herself from the other woman.
“I have had enough of your shit! I let you stay here out of the kindness of my heart after your whore mother dropped dead!”
“I’ll get the money Destiny, just give me more time…Please…” Ester flinches as she is suddenly grabbed by the mostly silicone filled woman.
The next thing Ester knew she knew she was thrown outside followed by her computer which shattered upon impact with the sidewalk.
“You bitch! That cost me 1000 dollars!!”
She immediately stood up, flipping Destiny off with both her middle fingers before Ester’s mattress, her bags, notebooks, figures and plushies were thrown out and into a puddle on the sidewalk.
“HEY! THAT'S MY STUFF!!” Ester cried as she struggled to save her things, unfortunately the paper from her notebooks immediately began to dissolve, completely destroying some of her college work. Her plushies were immediately soaked and stained mud. Ester let out a scream of complete frustration as she tried to salvage what she could and grabbed her bags. Her life had been spiraling for the last year and a half ever since her mother passed. Destiny who'd been an old co-worker of her mother had pitied her and let her and let her stay in her complex free of charge for the first few months anyway. If Ester had been honest, it probably would have been a better choice to have found a different place to stay before that free of charge time ended. Even her mother had always warned her about Destiny having a few screws loose. But now she was gone and Ester was truly on her own and now without the comfort of her home and hobbies everything was really going to shit.
Smile through the Pain
(Lyrics by TheChaoticDruid)
(A/n:I advise either imaging a fast paced pop or rock themed melody or else the song will be depressing as fuck)
•••
Ester: Since you've been gone things aren't the same.
Can’t help feeling like I'm the one to blame.
I’m lost, unseen, good God I wish it all was just a dream.
It's like everyone’s out to get me, no chance in hell this luck’ll be redeemed.
But then I remember what you said when I was young and my mind so free.
When the world was kind and everyone so sweet. You'd tell me to smile, chin up, don't look back, just wait a while.
If this is what it takes to keep you alive with me.
I'll just have to smile through the pain.
(Smile through the Pain.)
My landlord kicks me out,
I'll just smile through the pain.
(Smile through the Pain.)
Car breaks down on me with no one around to see.I'll just smile through the pain.
(Smile through the Pain)
Creep on the street keeps following me around, starts to shout. I'll just smile through the pain.
(And kick his ass!)
Even when everything in this whole damn world never fails to drive me fucking insane.
I'll just grit my teeth and smile through the pain.
•••
I know that things will never ever be the same, can't help but feel that I'm the one to blame.
Can't do this without you, you're all I had, everything I ever wanted to be.
Got nowhere else to lean, no friends, no colleagues, no it's just me.
Then I go back in time and remember what you said. Smile, chin up and just wait a while, everything will be just fine.
So I'll keep you alive even if I have to lie to everyone, play, pretend like I haven't just lost my mind.
Boss kicks me out, says I'm fired, starts to shout.
I'll just smile through the pain.
(Smile through the Pain)
Life fucks me over, throws shots, punches, really knocks me off my ass.
I'll just smile through the pain.
(Smile through the Pain)
Karen wastes my time, brings me closer and closer to losing my mind.
I'll just smile through the pain.
(Fuck off Karen!)
Even when everything in this whole damn world never fails to drive me fucking insane.
I'll just try my damnest…to smile through the pain…..
•••••••••
Ester had taken a bit of a walk down town, dragging her belongings with her, all wrapped in a bedsheet, almost as if she was a traveling hobo. She shivered as a cool winter breeze brushed against face. She wore a black mask with a sharp tooth grin design over her face to protect her from catching any illnesses going around, but it wasn't very good at shielding her from the elements. Her legs brought her to a small convenience shop in the city which smelled of the savory meats that cooked upon a nearby stove. A petite woman with long blonde hair, ripped in pink was at the register, looking down at her phone with an intense expression of anger. She coughed a few times but kept her eyes glued to the screen.
“Morning Phoebe.” Ester gave a yawn as she placed her stuff down at a table that was set up for customers to eat at. Phoebe looked up with fiery rage in her eyes.
“That no good cheating bitch is texting me again!” the blonde hissed through gritted teeth. “After everything she did I hope she gets hit by a fucking bus!”
“You know, blocking her is an option, right?” Ester stretched out with a yawn.
“I know but I…I….UGH…I wish she'd die!” Phoebe growled at her phone. The dark haired female rolled her eyes. Ester places a hand over her friend’s, looking into her eyes. “Hey, look at me. She's not worth it. You're better than that.” Phoebe took a deep breath before looking over to see her friend’s things.
“What’s all that?” The blonde asked in confusion.
“Oh just most of my personal possessions…Destiny kicked me out this morning.” Ester let out a sigh and ran her fingers through her hair.
“Oh shit. E, are you okay?” Phoebe’s expression immediately turned from rage to worry and concern.
“Physically, yes. Mentally, I feel like I just got sucker punched in the forehead.” Ester rubbed her temples as she leaned over the front counter of the store. “I fell behind on the payments again and wasn't able to get a new job in time to fix everything. It's all a mess.”
“Dang. You want me to go and talk to that bitch for you?” Phoebe exclaimed, putting a fist into her hand before cracking her knuckles.
“No! Ahem, please Phoebe…I appreciate the offer but Destiny was really pissed the last time I saw her. I don't think antagonizing her any more is going to help.” Ester put her hands up in a gesture for Phoebe to calm down resulting in the blonde pouting momentarily.
“Oh alright, but you know I'm here for you. You can come stay at my place while you get this sorted out.”
“I really don't want to trouble you….”
“No Ester! I insist! You're like my sister er…sibling?”
“Sister's fine.”
“Either way, you've had my back since we were kids. It's the least I can do.” Phoebe immediately went in for a hug, causing Ester to tense up slightly for a moment only to relax and pet her friend's hair before slowly giving into the hug.
*Thanks Pheebs, you're amazing.” Ester said before pulling away, her crystal blue eyes scanned around the small shop, landing on some chocolate covered pocky sticks as she smiled slightly. “Man, after the morning I've had, I really could use something to-SHIT!” The dark haired girl frantically began checking her pockets.
“You have to shit?” Phoebe's eyes blinked in confusion.
“What? No! My wallet is missing!” Ester corrected her as she looked through her bag. It seemed her purse was missing too. “Damnit! I must have left it at the complex!” Ester ran her fingers through her hair before looking back at Phoebe. “Would it maybe be okay if I left my stuff here while I head back to get my wallet?”
“Yeah, of course. I'll keep an eye on it, for you!” Phoebe replied.
Ester quickly ran back out the door and down the street as her short black curls whipped behind her. It took a good 15 minutes to return to the apartment complex but it seemed to go by quickly. She eventually reached the complex and decided to take an alternate route inside. The side entrance was thankfully unlocked as she walked in.
‘Just need to get in, get my things and go…’ The black haired female carefully treaded across the halls, rounding the corner and quietly making her way down the corridor that would lead to her room. The apartment was quite empty today, even more so than it had been in the past few weeks. Yet for some odd reason she felt as if she was being watched.
Her old apartment wasn't too far now, just a few minutes from where she now stood.
The closer she went however, the more a familiar disgusting smell began to resurface.
What Ester assumed had been a deceased rat somewhere in her apartment was beginning to smell a whole lot worse, more pungent.
She arrived at her old apartment noticing that there was a red stain peaking out from under the door. Ester paused for merely a moment wondering if she should turn back, but she really needed her wallet so she opened the door and inside was a trail of red blood stains leading over towards the couch where a large human shaped form laid wrapped in a large bloody trash bag.
“Oh my fuck!” Ester gasped before suddenly feeling a sharp pain crash into the side of her head. She moved away, kicking whatever had attacked her and rolling out of the way before holding her bleeding head.
“What the hell!?” Destiny had appeared behind her with a baseball bat. “How are you still standing!?”
“What the fuck!?” Ester felt her head before looking down at her fingers and seeing dark red liquid staining them. “I always knew you were crazy but this? Oh my God.” The dark haired girl backed up against the wall.
“You should have never come back here. Now I'm going to have to send you to see your momma.” Destiny raised the bat over her head before suddenly a gun fired and a bullet blew the top of the baseball bat right off.
“DAMN IT MOXXIE! STOP MISSING! AIM FOR HER FUCKING HEAD!” An unfamiliar male voice screamed out. Ester didn't waste time to look and see who had shot at them. As soon as Destiny was distracted she bolted for it. Her wallet was long forgotten as she began to fear for her life.
Two intruders had entered the building around the same time Ester had and were now hunting the blonde landlord down. The only downside is Destiny has a secret stash of her own hunting tools.
Shots were fired and the place Ester had previously called home was now a battlefield. Her former bitchy landlord was a complete psychopath and honestly there wasn't any way things could get worse right?
“She came prepared sir! We need to retreat!!” A second unfamiliar voice rings throughout the halls.
“We're not leaving until that bitch is dead!” The first voice argued. Ester rounded another corner as a shot was fired hitting one of the nearby walls. That was way, way, way too fucking close. The dark-haired girl desperately increased her speed as she sprinted away, failing to eventually see an ancient looking book sitting on the floor as a large crimson colored portal stayed open above it. By the time she saw the swirling vortex she'd tripped and tumbled right into it.
The world around her suddenly changed in an instant and she fell down from the sky onto hard pavement. The portal behind her slowly closed as Ester was stunned from the impact of hard cement. Her head was spinning and her body hurt far less than it should have given she just fell from the sky.
“What just happened? Did…..Did I just fall into some kind or wormhole?” Ester spoke up as gathered herself, getting to her feet. She felt her head taking note that the pain had completely vanished. Her eyes glanced around her surroundings. Bright red skies hovered above her, a strange moon-like object in the sky with a pentagram on it floated above. Far past it was a bright glowing orb that Ester could only describe as angelic. The landscape around her was that of a gritty metropolitan area with large skyscrapers that towered above her.
“What the? This place looks like a hot topic barfed all over LA.” She whispered aloud as she began to walk forward from the back alley she had previously landed. Then suddenly someone ran past screaming at the top of their lungs while being on fire. Ester blinked and froze up where she was. Before her were all manner of strange humanoid beings, many of which looked very animal-like in their features while others had horns and devil tails giving her a good idea of what they were. And if that wasn't clear enough, the pentagram moon, and billboard titled 666 News just hammered it in through her head.
I love ur writing style sm i had to request!!🥹 ik its impossible for sinners to have children buuttt,,,Alastor with a bio toddler daughter hcs?? Like shes the first of her kind, hellborns born from sinners, so people are naturally interested in her and want to somewhat capture her to figure this phenomenon out (especially vox)
Oh boy was this one fun to write. This may be the stand alone fic I am most proud of up until this point. Thank you so much for this request as it really has been on my mind for a looooong time to write something like this. It could really be a companion piece of sorts to this post, one of the first I ever wrote for this fandom.
Patience
Tw: Alastor is his own warning. So are toddlers.
Acknowledgements: my beloved beta, wife, and co-parent to our own little hellspawn @inuhalfdemon .
Parenthood is a journey, where the days are long, the years are short, and the road is paved by patience.
Alastor is not a good man. Not a kind man. His soul was not built with generosity or empathy in mind. But he can be very patient.
His time on Earth, along with the games he's had to play in Hell, have required him to play a rather long game of wits and maneuvers; all skills sewn together with the thread of patience.
But becoming a parent? That has drawn all those threads a little tighter than what he is comfortable with.
"Impossible." He had scoffed when you had first come to him with a positive test sold at the Hellborn pharmacy.
How wrong he had been. As the ultrasound showed tiny little feet kicking away while the sound of a new heartbeat echoed around the room, Alastor had to come to terms with exactly how possible this was becoming.
"One of your games, then?" He had accused Rosie when she laughed in his face and made a joke about once again proving he was still the most powerful Sinner in Hell if he was capable of knocking up another Sinner.
Wrong again. Despite her tendency to occasionally fuck around with Alastor's life, even outside the realm of their deal, Rosie insisted she had nothing to do with it. It had just . . . happened. An unintentional side affect of his and your powers combined.
"Well it can't be all that hard," he had scoffed when Lucifer of all people had tried to give him parenting advice.
Definitely wrong. Though to this day he wont admit that out loud and give that insufferable angel the satisfaction that he sometimes struggles with raising a child.
Although it did help kick start his desire to be a good father. While he struggled to dig up emotions that resembled anything like love for the thing growing in your stomach, he found that using pettiness to prove he truly would be the best father at the hotel at least helped him go through the motions of it all.
Bringing you saltine crackers in bed and going to the doctors and picking out items to add to the baby shower registry and dealing with your hormones. Between the "there there's" as you cried in his arms and ducking the glasses you threw at him when you were pissed, he inwardly cringed at just how boring this all was. Having a pregnant partner was just so . . . common. Monotonous. Underwhelming.
But he mustered up his patience for it all and plastered on his usual smile, gritting his teeth and making sure he did the right thing for once. There was no one to maim or murder in this situation and even with how dark and twisted his soul was, he got through it because some part of him was still capable of admitting he loved you.
Even when the two of you found out it was to be a girl, all Alastor could summon within him was a little relief. Maybe the child would then grow to be more like you then him and that would help. Maybe he could learn to love it in time, if that was to be the case.
Then one night, after you had fallen asleep staring at baby names on your phone screen, Alastor lay awake next to you, lost in thought. How much more patience did he have left in him?
You shifted onto your side, your still small but now obvious bump pressing against his hip and he thought he felt a little nudge.
His eyebrows drew together and he looked down before ever so slowly placing an open palm against the side of your bump.
Tap.
The slightest, quickest bit of pressure against his hand.
"Oh," he breathed out in surprise. "Hello."
Tap.
His smile spread.
In that moment, the world spun, his entire scope of existence narrowed, and everything on the edges of you, him, and that tiny tap, blurred.
He would burn away the sun itself for that little tap.
Alastor leaned over your sleeping form and whispered to your belly.
"Hello there . . . My little Patience."
Two and a half years later . . .
Patience squealed a high-pitched monstrosity of a sound as she ran across the lobby, her hand twisted around a fist full of string, as a bouquet of balloons trailed behind her. Her ear piercing sound of delight suddenly filled the room at a volume higher than what should have been possible, and Alastor only had a second to register her voice was being carried out through his radio AND the speakers at Husk's bar, before she tripped.
As if in slow motion, he watched one little foot hook over the edge of a rug, her hooved feet still clumsy in her new shoes, and his daughter's face rush to the ground beneath her.
The toddler's nose stopped an inch from the floor and she cackled in delight as she began to float horizontally upwards, before the shadow tendrils set her upright on her feet again.
"That was a close one, Alastor," Niffty said, suddenly appearing at his side with a sponge in one hand and a bottle of carpet cleaner in the other. "I'm pretty sure that's a cum stain she almost just smashed her face into."
"Come?!" Patience shouted, and then turned to see her father, raised her arms up, and began running towards him. "Come, daddy!"
Alastor ignored the sound of Angel Dust at the bar, sputtering and coughing a choked laugh into his drink.
"Did she just project her voice through the radio?" you asked, watching your daughter as she leaned into Alastor's arm.
"Of course she did!" Alastor answered proudly, eyes only for the little red deer demon in his arms. "This birthday girl is her father's little hellspawn, after all."
You sighed. "41 weeks of pregnancy. 35 hours of labor. Two vaginal tears. And she has the audacity to look just like her father and have his powers, too? I know I'm in Hell, but what the fuck did I do to deserve this?"
"Language," Alastor said with a raised brow before handing the squirming toddler off to you, her arms outstretched and wiggling in your direction. "You see? No need to be jealous, you are still her favorite."
"Only because it's nap time and she wants to nurse."
"No!" Patience screamed. "No nap!" She continued to protest, rubbing her eyes in an exhausted childlike tantrum.
Alastor watched you navigating this tantrum with well practiced tactics, though he did feel bad you were still having to nurse the stubborn child. Patience was so close to being fully weened, but they still only got through every afternoon's nap time drama with the promise of milk straight from the tap.
"No naw naws unless nap," you tried to reason but your daughter only cried in ernest then.
"Patience," Alastor butted in, "if you take a nap now, you can open one present early before your party starts later."
Patience blinked at him with red eyes exactly like his.
"Open now?"
"Nap now, open after."
With a pout, Patience turned her head swiftly away from Alastor and buried her face into your neck.
You mouthed a silent 'thank you' and Alastor kissed the top of your head as you carried your daughter towards the elevator doors that would take you up to your family suite in Alastor's corner tower of the hotel.
He smiled on even after the elevator doors closed and you two were carried upwards, admiring his daughter's growing independence while simultaneously mourning the loss of her infancy. Two years old today. It had gone by so fast. Only yesterday she was a sleeping bundle of velvety red fur in his arms, her still toothless gums sucking away at the pacifier he had given her. He couldn't wait to see the confident power house she would grow up to be. He longed for just one more day of her has a helpless, snuggly baby. Parenthood, it had turned out, was a constant tug of war between yearning for the future and mourning what will never be again.
"Look at me Niffty. Such a softy in my old age, can you believe it?"
"Maybe. But I bet you'll get to kill some people before the day is over."
Alastor smiled down at her, his yellow teeth glowing behind his lips at the idea. "You really think I could work it in? The itinerary for the day is already quite full."
"Well . . . Maybe. If the Vees still decide to show."
"Ha! They wouldn't dare," Alastor confidently laughed with a shake of his head.
He had kept everything a secret for as long as he could. Not that he worried about being able to handle his enemies, but he liked the control over his life that privacy afforded him. However, there are only so many ways to hide a pregnancy, especially with the lengths you had gone to in order to confirm said pregnancy, and word had quickly spread that a Sinner was somehow reproducing.
Speculations and rumors went wild. Alastor had stayed silent when the question of who the father was first started circulating. Let them ponder, it really didn't matter to him. He knew the truth and that was enough for him. But then the slander of your name began and he had to put a stop to it.
A singular broadcast that overtook the airwaves of Pentagram City settled the score. Along with a gaggle of reporters that just happened to catch fire while trying to bombard you while you were out and about. Alastor made it clear that day that the child in question was his. That you were his. And he was definitely still the most powerful Sinner in Hell.
The Vees had quietly changed the city's attention to other scandals and for the most part, your little family-to-be was left alone.
Until recently.
You had taken Patience for a quick mother-and-daughter outing. It was an exceptionally unexceptional day in Hell and the dreadful peace and quiet without his two dearests around meant he had no excuse but to be useful if he were to be spotted by the rest of the hotel residents, so he had stayed quiet as a mouse up in his tower.
Imagine his delight and surprise when his little one sprang up without warning from where his shadow lay dormant on the floor.
She had been inconsolable, crying out for him as she crawled into his arms.
"My darling Patience, how did you get here? And where is your mother?" he had asked her, though he was already piecing together a picture of what might have happened.
"Mommy?" she asked and then looked around, suddenly realizing where she was and that you were not there with her. That only made her cry harder and then there was no getting any coherent words out of the child.
Alastor made his way down to the lobby, guessing that he only had a few minutes before you would be bursting through the main doors.
He was, of course, correct in that assumption. You were already sprinting across the floor as he made it down the last step, grabbing Patience into your arms and placing kiss after kiss on her round, tear soaked cheeks.
"Oh thank God, thank God, thank God," you said, as you did a quick assessment of the still sniffling toddler.
"I doubt he had anything to do with it, darling. What, or who, was it that frightened her badly enough that her shadow powers have begun to manifest?" Alastor asked.
"Just some reporters with a death wish, hiding out in some bushes. I took care of them but then she was just gone. She backed up against the wall of a building and once she was in shadow, she just . . ."
"I can imagine. Well splendid! Of course my girls would handle themselves with such prowess," he said with a soft but proud smile before placing a quick kiss between his daughter's ears.
That had been two months ago and though things were still quiet, there was an air of anticipation around your daughter. Patience's accidental show of power and your violent motherly instincts against the paparazzi were both caught on camera and since then, reporters had been getting sneakier. In this day and age, camera phones were making it easier for pretty much anyone to catch a glimpse of the little one and sell it to the tabloids.
Alastor was allowing them to test the waters, at least for now, as long as a certain level of fear and respect was kept and his daughter wasn't being frightened again. After all, Hell was right to be curious of his offspring.
All that being said, he was counting on her birthday party to be closed off to the press. The occasional Tweet was a far cry from crashing a toddler's birthday party and he would be genuinely surprised if any of the Vees were stupid enough to attempt something so brazen.
But just to be absolutely certain, he designed the party with privacy in mind. It was taking place entirely indoors, within the confines of the hotel, and he had been sure to be extra selective with the guest list. He wasn't so naive to think a few whispers wouldn't get reported eventually but at least their wouldn't be any of that intrusive video footage out there of his little girl's special day.
It would be perfect. Absolutely perfect. No one that could possibly even mildly annoy him on this day.
There was just one, small, teensy weensy, vertically challenged problem he couldn't avoid.
"Dad, there you are!" Charlie exclaimed before rushing at her father and shoving him by the shoulders, directing him deeper in to the large room that functioned daily as the lounge.
Guests were already mingling about, drinks and snack plates in hand, and pleasant conversation filled the air.
Two long tables were framing the floor to ceiling window that faced the dominating view of downtown Pentagram City. The left table was already quite full of beautifully wrapped presents for the birthday girl and the right table was stacked with multiple tiered trays of goodies for the party goers. In between and front and center sat a tiny thrown like chair where Patience would later be sat to open her gifts and enjoy her birthday cake; the center of attention for all the Sinners to "ooooh" and "ahhhh" at her inevitable adorableness.
"There is the snack and drink table. That's where the cake is going to go. These are the non-alcoholic, 100% TOTALLY kid safe drinks, I made triple sure of it. And tthhiiiiss is where the big birthday girl is going to get all her super fucking cute photo ops, and this where the gifts get put - Dad, where is your gift?"
"What? Oh uh . . . riiight," Lucifer muttered, making a show of checking his pockets on his jacket and pants.
"Looks like someone came to the celebration unprepared!" Alastor strolled up from behind Lucifer, wide smile in place.
"Oh ho, you wish," Lucifer snapped his fingers and fire erupted from his now open palms for a quick second, immediately replaced by a pink and white striped present box. "Suck on that, bitches."
He placed the present in the very center of the table with a theatrical flourish of his cane.
Alastor rolled his eyes. It was probably just a rubber duck he summoned last second from the horde within his room.
"And where, uh, IS the birthday girl, anyway? Shouldn't she be here by now?" Lucifer asked, making a show of impatiently checking his watch, like he had anywhere better to be.
"In due time," Alastor said, straightening his back to increase his height . . . and seniorority. "The party hasn't even officially begun yet and small children need their afternoon naps, especially before such a stimulating event."
"She still nursing?"
Alastor raised a brow, suspicious of the casual question.
"Yes."
"Interesting," Lucifer sniffed. "You know, I'm pretty sure I recall Charlie being fully weened by 14 months but what can I say," he said with a chuckle. "Kids all mature at different rates, am I right?"
Alastor's brows came together, though his smile didn't falter.
"How true, every child is different. And a child who was raised over 200 years ago didn't get to benefit from the marvelous advances within the science of childhood developement. We've been following a pediatrician approved plan that nutures a more long term bond between parent and child. We're here for eternity, after all. Wouldn't want our only daughter to grow up with a strained relationship with us now, would we?"
"Yeah well, some of us had to raise future monarchs. A natural born leader. Encouraging a little indepence is required for certain exceptional children," Lucifer countered.
Alastor leaned over, just a few inches.
"There's a difference between fostering indepence and neglecting your child's emotional needs, Lu."
"Listen here Bambi, come talk to me when-"
"Okay!" Charlie pushed in between the two men, her arms outstretched wide and shoving them both in the chest and away from each other. "Look who it is! The girl of the hour!"
You had come into the room, holding the door open and guiding Patience through the entrance with her hand held in yours.
Alastor dissolved into shadow, appearing again a second later at your side, and bending over to hold up a red party hat with pink, red, and gold tassles streaming from the top.
"For you, my darling Patience," he said softly and placed the cone shaped hat between your daughter's ears and slipped the string under her chin.
"Daddy, you need one, too!" she protested.
"Quite right. In fact, it looks like we both do!"
He quickly summoned two more, though not as decorated as Patience's, and while you slipped yours on, Alastor allowed the tiny Hellborn to attempt to put his on for him. It ended up over one antler but she seemed quite proud of herself so he stood, only letting you fix it for him a couple minutes later when Patience was well distracted by other things.
After everyone seemed to have their fill of food, drinks, and cake, it was time to open the gifts.
Charlie had gotten Patience an art set.
Vaggie gifted her a collection of hair bows.
Angel bought a small trampoline that lit up from the bottom and played music.
Husker gifted a princess tea set and even promised to keep it up at his bar whenever she wanted.
Niffty and Baxter had engineered, trained, and dressed a set of roaches to act out dramatic scenes as if they were famous royalty. With tiny roach crowns and roach ballgowns and roach knights with swords that road other roaches like horses.
Lucifer had indeed gotten her a set of rubber ducks. That when squeezed, quacked out little fireworks. You and Alastar shared a glance, both dreading being woken up before the sun rose by Patience and her firework ducks crawling into bed with you two. And also coming to the same realization that was probably Lucifer's intent. He couldn't just give her a harmonica, like every other passive aggressive adult gives to the child of the parent they hate?
You and Alastor presented her a large dollhouse. That was immediately overrun by the roaches, acting out a scene from the what looked like the Spanish Inquisition. Which was fine, because her real gift was the enormous two story playhouse waiting for her up in Alastor's bayou. But that was a surprise for later.
After the floor was covered in wrapping paper, and while Niffty was darting around everyone's legs trying to clean everything up as fast as possible, Patience tugged on Alastor's coat tail.
He looked down at his daughter and noticed her wide eyes were brimming with tears.
"Now what ever could be the matter?" he asked, swooping her up. "Didn't you get everything you could have asked for?"
Patience shook her head, her pout turning into a full on chin quiver.
You came over to them, letting out a sad sigh. "I was worried this would come up again. She asked for something this morning."
"What is it?" Alastor asked.
"A friend," Patience mumbled.
"Well you have lots of friends here at the hotel," Alastor offered.
"No Daddy, a friend for me!"
"Other children," you corrected. "Alastor, I think she's lonely."
Alastor looked from your daughter to you, eyes glowing brighter as understanding settled in.
"And of course she is! She's one of a kind! You can't keep her locked away forever Al'."
That voice.
Who the fuck let him in here?
"After all," Vox said, as he strode into the room, flanked by Velvette. "What is there that could possibly be dangerous to her? Her father is the great Radio Demon. You aren't worried that you can't protect her, are you?"
"Ah ha! Of course not," Alastor said, standing between where you and Patience were and Vox's line of sight. "But a child is deserving of a modicum of privacy and that isn't exactly your . . . forte."
"Actually Al', we come in peace. It is a birthday party after all, we just wanted to bring the little one a gift." Vox raised his hand in innocence. "No filming. Scout's honor."
Velvette looked up at him skeptically. "I didn't know you were a boy scout."
"A what?" Vox asked before Alastor cut him off.
"More lies and schemes. I won't have it. Not here, not today. Get out."
"Now come on, 'old pal'." Vox stepped closer. "I won't make a scene if you wont."
"You would lose that fight and you know it."
"Sure . . . eventually," Vox replied, his voice going low. "But not before a spectacle is made. Charlie Morningstar's famous hotel, being shown to be forceful and hostile. The Radio Demon spilling blood right in front of his pwecious wittle Patience. It wouldn't be a good look."
"Alastor told you to leave," Charlie said, coming to stand beside Alastor.
Vaggie came up on his other side, angelic spear pointed in Vox's face. "You've had your warning. Now get out."
Alastor's smile softened at bit at the edges, looking serious but unbothered.
"I think you need a reminder that while the hotel is indeed open to anyone with good intentions, it's fully capable of defending itself. Spin it however your fragile little ego wants to on your new stations or what have you, you and I have can settle our business another day. If you insist."
"You can't hide her forever, Al'. Eventually the day will come whe-"
Vox's screen began to dim, his voice trailing off into a baritone of garbled static. He began to lurch forward with jerking motions as shadows rose from the floor and wound up his torso and limbs, until they reached his head.
His screen flipped to static and the ominous sound of white noise filled the room as his body went completely still.
"Vox? VOX?! Oh what the fuck! What the fuck did creepy fuckin' kid do?!" Velvette yelled, yanking on Vox's unresponsive arm.
But her gaze was following the same journey that the rest of the rooms occupants now were. Every head turned around, looking from the shadow the stretched out beneath Vox's feet, passing beneath Alastor, and continuing on to where you and Patience were pressed against the glass wall. Patience was clinging to your legs, your hand resting protectively around her shoulders, and the shadow was most definitely coming from the otherwise helpless looking toddler.
"Patience, my little love," you said calmly, bending down to look into your daughter's red eyes. "You can let him go now. He won't hurt you."
"Screens bad," she said.
You chuckled. "Yes. Screens bad. We don't do screen time yet, that's very good. But he needs to leave now, okay?"
Patience looked at Alastor who smiled a closed lipped but proud smile and nodded once at his daughter.
Patience sighed, a sound much older than her years, and shrugged. "Okay."
The shadows pulled away and within seconds, Vox's screen was glitching but returning to normal as he coughed and sputtered. He clutched at his throat, gasping for air, as he rebooted.
After a minute, he did his best to stand straight, and kept his gaze locked on Alastor's while he asked, "Vel, did you get that on camera?"
"I-" she said, her expression stricken as she stared down at her phone screen, furiously tapping away.
"Velvette?" Vox pushed.
"It's fucking gone! The second that little brat did that thing with the shadows it's just fucking gone!"
"Takes after her father I suppose," Alastor said, tapping his cane. "Good bye now!"
Vox's expression was dark but for once, his mouth didn't seem to have any more words left to say, and he ushered Velvette out the door.
"Holy shit," Charlie said, uncharacteristically deadpanned.
"Holy shit is right, that was bad ass!" Vaggie exclaimed, turning around to face you. "Did you know she could do that?!"
"It's been a growing development," you said dismissively as you picked up the now yawning toddler.
"More cake, Mommy?"
"A development that shouldn't leave this room," Alastor said, coming to stand by you.
"I don't see a problem with one more small piece," you said, setting her back in her seat.
Alastor's shadow carried a plate already filled with another slice to Patience as he addresses the room again.
"I mean it. This gets back to no one else outside of this room."
"Yeah sure, who we gonna tell anyway? Only people I like are already here," Angel said, already returning to his relaxed position stretched out across the couch.
"You know boss," Husk said, approaching Alastor, who's openly suspicious gaze moved slowly from Angel to the bartender. "Vox may be an ass, but he wasn't wrong. Even you aren't going to be able to hide her powers forever."
"And I don't intend to!" Alastor said, overly cheerful. "But all in good time, my good man. All in good time."
Later on that night, Alastor was surprised to find you alone in bed, scrolling mindlessly on your phone. After such an eventful day, it wasn’t unusual for Patience to have a hard time falling asleep on her own.
"She's in her own room, fast asleep," you offered before he could ask, setting your phone aside.
"Impressive. I would have guessed we were going to end up sharing our bed again this evening."
"I know, right?" you smiled but it quickly faltered. "She's needing me less and less. I should be proud she's coming into her own, and I am. Really. And I do enjoy getting alone time more often. But . . ."
Alastor sat down next to you as you trailed off, letting his long legs stretch out in front of him.
"I know what you mean." He sighed, summoning himself a glass of whiskey. He took a small sip before setting it down in his lap.
"You do?"
"Of course." He kept his eyes on his glass, playing with an ice cube with one solitary claw. "In life, I never even contemplated becoming a father. Settling down. And you . . . Well you were enough of a surprise as it was. But then she came along and I discovered a side of myself I would have laughed out of the room not too long ago. And now she's growing up and it's lovely. But I would tear heaven and hell apart for just 5 more minutes of her at 2 weeks old, asleep on my chest. Not able to move or get anything done."
"Oh my god and I would have to pee so bad but she would just have fallen asleep after screaming for hours," you added, sitting up now so that you were shoulder to shoulder.
"Mmm hmmm. The witching hour. Don't miss that."
"But the cuddles afterwards. . ."
"Ugh. The best thing ever, weren't they?"
"The very best."
Alastor sat in silence for a moment before finally looking up from his glass and eyeing you up and down.
"Now that we consistently have our room to ourselves, we could work on trying for another."
"Oh god no," you said, much too quickly.
"Well. Tell me how you really feel about me and my rare attempt at advances," Alastor said, hand on his chest in mock offense.
"You really want another?"
"I wouldn't be opposed. But I also understand if you feel otherwise."
He watched as your eyebrows pinched in a way that he had come to learn meant you were considering something.
"Maybe someday. She is lonely, it could help her feel less isolated. But something tells me we are going to have our hands full with her and her growing powers for the next several years. Especially after today."
"Ah yes. That. Quite marvelous, wasn't she?" He took another sip of his whiskey. "She may yet grow to be even more powerful than me."
He felt your gaze on him, felt you studying him, but he continued to feign casualness.
"You would be okay with that?" you asked.
His grin split his face as he turned to look at you. "My darling, you have no idea how much I would revel in it."
"Really?" you pushed, clearly skeptical.
"Let's just say, there is a certain amount of freedom I would find in that discovery."
"You're still such a mystery to me."
He was on you instantly, pushing you into the mattress with his hips as he pinned your hands beneath his. You smiled wickedly at the turn in his attention, wiggling beneath him.
"Worry not my love, you still know me in ways no one else does," he assured you before making sure you became wholly distracted from the conversation.
Alastor watched Patience as she slept deeply in her own bed, her arms cuddled around a stuffed look-a-like of Fat Nuggets. With Keekee curled up at the foot of her bed, the room was filled with the soothing sounds of Patience's soft breath and the cat's rhythmic purrs.
Oh yes, he loved his darling girl more than he thought possible. An honest, true, and all consuming love, even stronger than that which he felt for his long lost mother.
Did that make it alright then, the plans he had for her? This new aching hope that she would be his answer to . . . Everything?
He just had to keep her growing powers a secret a little while longer. In the mean time, nurture and foster that which could make her the most powerful Sinner in all of Hell, instead of himself. Then everything would unfold rather beautifully for him. And his little family, of course. They would be better off with his chains undone, after all. It would just take some time . . . And a little bit of patience.
