Stuck with you
Hey guys, I'm in the middle of writing my StaticRadio fic and I'm very excited to share a snippet of the first chapter here while my beta reader looks through the rest. Please enjoy!
Summary:
When Vox gets trapped inside a virtual reality that grants his every desire, Alastor is sent in after him. Forced to play the role of devoted partner, Alastor must figure out how to get them both out of the program while learning how deep Vox's obsession for him goes and how he can use it to his advantage.
"And why, my dear, should we care that Vox was injured by his arrogance?"
Alastor delighted in watching Velvette scowl, gripping her bedazzled phone almost hard enough to crack the screen. Meanwhile, Charlie turned to him with the oh-so-predictable puppy eyes that practically begged him to finish hearing the media overlord out.
Turning away from the pitiful display, he sipped his coffee as nonchalantly as possible before focusing his attention back to Velvette, giving her a mocking grin as he leaned further into his chair. "After all, we are not responsible for his actions. If he wanted to take on an up-and-coming newcomer, that's his responsibility."
Scoffing at his lack of tact, Vaggie placed her hand tenderly over Charlie's arm to comfort her, muttering under her breath comments about his own massive arrogance that he chose to ignore.
With a sigh, she addressed the small group, "As much as I hate to admit it, Alastor has a point. This isn't our problem. We're here to rehabilitate sinners, not get caught up in Overlord drama." Seeing Charlie about to argue, she turned towards her and stopped her. "Honey, Vox is known to crush anyone that threatens his media empire. It's not surprising that someone would eventually manage to fuck him up."
It wasn't enough to deter, as Charlie continued her protests "But Vaggie, he's not just hurt- he's comatose! His friends are worried enough about him that they're here asking for help, isn't that a big step forward?"
Humming lightly, Alastor asked, "The same friends who allowed Vox to surround the hotel with his silly flying cameras?" His grin widened as he watched Charlie deflate slightly.
"Well yes- I mean no-"
"Who also allowed him to send spies to this establishment?"
"That one turned out okay-"
"The same friend group that consists of Valentino?"
She froze with this statement, glancing over at the bar area where the rest of the hotel residents were gathered, and he knew his point had hit home. Angel Dust hadn't moved from his stiff perch on the bar stool, keeping the group in his line of sight as he downed a truly impressive amount of drinks with a dark look.
Seeing the Princess' hesitation, Velvette reigned in her annoyance and attempted to regain an air of nonchalance as she started tapping away at her phone, "Alright bitches, if you do this favour for us, the Vees will give you prime advertising space. I've even managed to get the pissbaby to cut down the white prick's hours by half," Raising her eyes to meet Charlie's, "That a good enough deal for you lot?"
The short silence that followed was only broken by Angel Dust's sudden hacking as he choked on his drink, staring in shock even as tears started streaming.
Husk rushed over to help, patting his back helpfully and taking the offending drink, placing it safely out of reach for the time being.
After a few moments, Angel Dust could speak again, forcing the words through a raw throat. "Val's really gonna give me fewer hours?"
Velvette rolled her eyes with a huff, but at least deigned to answer with a quick nod. He barely managed to share a disbelieving smile with Husk before Charlie tackled him in a celebratory hug, Nifty not far behind.
Vaggie watched the scene with a small smile, keeping back. "If we manage to send out our advert properly this time, we might be able to gain more patrons."
As the staff started to chat excitedly about the opportunities that this could present them with, Alastor watched on in boredom, sipping his coffee once more while he studied Velvette, who had finally started to relax as the others got more animated.
Vox must truly be in a pathetic state if Velvette was willing to stoop so low as to offer fantastical favours for just an attempt at helping. And that wasn't to mention Valentino's reaction. He had heard how possessive he was over his employees, time off was practically unheard of. Yet here he was, offering his biggest star the chance to only work half his hours with zero consequences. That had been mentioned, at least.
He still had no real interest in helping any of the media overlords, but he couldn't deny how hilarious it would be if he was the one who helped his so-called 'biggest rival'.
The image of Vox awakening from his humiliating slumber before finding out that not only was it Alastor who helped him but that he now had to pay back that favour whenever Alastor wished it.
Oh, the expression of rage that would produce caused his grin to widen to an almost painful degree.
Yes, that would more than make the effort worth it.
Setting down his cup before slipping into the shadows, he reappeared directly behind the group and placed his hands on Charlie's unsuspecting shoulders. His iron grip was all that kept her in place when she started shrieking and tripping over her own two feet.
Before anyone else could scream or kick up a fuss, he let go of the Princess' shoulders to summon his microphone and address the group, swanning around them dramatically.
"Now my friends, if we want to be able to reap these rewards that were so graciously offered to us, we best be on our way. No more dallying, please- The sooner we start, the sooner it's over with!" A cheering soundtrack followed his words as he summoned a shadow portal on the nearby wall and began to herd the group towards it.
Or tried to- Velvette stepped in front of it, hands on her hips and displeased scowl on her face and she glared up at him.
"Oi, hold it! I'm not chaperoning seven of you fuckers through the tower. Choose three of you to go and that's it. I am not going to be treated like some kind of glorified babysitter."
Grappling back control of the situation, Charlie pushed her way to the front of the others and spun to face them with a tight smile. "Oh, yes. Ok, so I'll go as a representative of this hotel with Vaggie," At this, her girlfriend gave her a grateful smile, "Is there anyone else who'd like to join?"
Predictably, Angel Dust didn't look very keen on the idea of returning to his place of work if he wasn't needed. Similarly, Pentious was unlikely to run to his ex-idol's aid, and Husk wouldn't go if he wasn't forced. Nifty, however, was practically vibrating in excitement, smile sharp and dangerous at the chance to meet more 'bad boys'.
Alastor tapped her lightly with his staff to get her attention, then shook his head once she met his eyes. She pouted, but it was mostly for show, and she quickly focused her attention on a nearby cockroach.
Alastor smiled, pleased at the ease. Perhaps he could find some nice knives for her good behaviour.
Stepping forward with a twirl of his staff, he put a hand to the place where his heart should be and sighed loudly. "Why, how could I ever leave Vox in such a vulnerable state? The thought alone breaks my heart."
Ignoring the disbelieving looks around him, he focused on Charlie, who looked about ready to burst into song about him gaining compassion for another or something just as frivolous.
But of course, Vaggie had to speak up.
"Hun, are you sure about this? Those two have never got along. I don't know what he's planning but I don't trust him around Vox if he's vulnerable. Alastor's too much of an opportunist to let this pass him. We can't afford for this to turn into a shit show between overlords and get caught in the crossfire."
Repressing an almost violent eye-roll at the comment, he responded as cheerfully as he could manage. "Oh please, there's nothing fun about taking out an unarmed opponent."
Honestly, it was like these people didn't want him to have any form of entertainment outside of the hotel. No killing, no dismembering; he wasn't even allowed to torment the staff too much before it got turned into a lecture on respecting his fellow demon.
Not that it stopped him, but still.
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