Damned (Alastor x OC)

Ch 10

"I see..." he said slowly, then cleared his throat and looked back to me, "well, it looks very lovely on you, my dear," he said politely, and for some reason it made me feel really happy.

"Really?" I asked him, a big smile splitting my features. He chuckled and nodded.

"Yes, the color compliments your eyes very well," he added, and I couldn't stop the blush on my face. It is beyond me how someone with a kill count like his can be so damn sweet.

And especially to someone like me. I figured he wouldn't even care one way or another about me. I'm nothing much, really.

"Thanks," I said, still smiling big as my fingers toyed with the hem of the dress. I smoothed it down, feeling the softness of the fabric on my fingers.

Alastor took a couple steps towards me, and I figured he was going to look somewhere else in the store, but he stopped in front of me.

I looked up at him, his eyes were staring back at me, once again analyzing. He always has a look of deep thought on his face when he looks at me.

My smile turned nervous, and my ears lowered under his stare.

I felt his fingers brush against my shoulder and I almost gasped. It felt like someone shot electricity through my legs.

What is he doing?

This moment feels like it's lasting a lifetime, but it's only been about 5 seconds.

Then his fingers gently hooked under the strap of the dress, sliding forward and then back before he pulled his hand away.

"The strap was twisted, honey," he said quietly, and I blinked, trying to calm the heat flooding to my face.

"O-oh! Uh...thank you!" I said with a nervous giggle and then I slipped past him, "I-I should probably go put my clothes back on," I said before hurrying to the dressing room.

As soon as I got the door shut and locked, I laid my back against it. My hand went over my chest, and I could feel the intensity of my heartbeat.

I took a couple deep breaths and then turned and looked in the mirror.

"What is wrong with you, Aria?" I chastised myself, sighing heavily. Why is it, every time I have a normal interaction with this guy, I act as if my crush just made a move on me?

My heart pounds, I become breathless. I get nervous. I literally just met him, so why does it feel like I've known him for so much longer?

I'm seriously chastising myself for feeling as if there should be more behind his touches. All he did was fix the strap of my dress and I almost melted.

I sighed and changed back into my clothes, quickly folding the dress over my arm and exiting the dressing room. To my surprise, when I walked out the doorway leading into the changing rooms, Alastor was waiting for me.

"Hello dear," he greeted me, his arms behind his back as usual.

"Hi, are you done looking around?" I asked him curiously, and he hummed.

"Yes, this store isn't much to my tastes..." he said, looking around. I chuckled, and glanced at the cheap clothing scattered about.

"Ok, fancy pants," I teased him, and he began to walk with me as I headed towards the section Angel got this dress from.

"My pants are perfectly ordinary," Alastor said from beside me, and I giggled, weaving towards the dresses.

I got to the right rack, and went to hang the dress back up. Alastor's hand stopped me.

"What are you doing?" He asked, and I turned to look at him. I was taken off guard by what he just did.

"O-oh I'm just...putting this dress back," I chuckled nervously, holding the dress up a bit higher for emphasis.

He tilted his head.

"Did you not like it?" He asked me and my eyes widened. Does he...want me to buy it?

I shook my head, smiling stupidly, "oh it's not that, I love it I just...I don't have any money," I said and he gained a look of realization.

"That's right..." he murmured quietly, looking away from me. His eyebrows threaded in thought and he reached out and took the dress from me.

"Then allow me, honey," he said casually, as if it were nothing to question at all. My eyes widened.

I cannot possibly let him buy this dress for me.

However, my panic overrode my reasoning and before I could stop myself I grabbed his arm as he tried to turn and leave. He froze, and turned back to me.

Quickly I removed my hands, "s-sorry! I just...please don't buy that dress," I begged him, putting my hands together in front of me in a prayer position.

"You don't have to do that, it's ok..." I reassured him, and his eyes flickered across my features. I was halfway worried he was about to backhand me for touching him.

I've learned from observing his interactions with the others of the hotel that putting your hands anywhere near him, unless he prompts it, is a big no no.

Those golden teeth sat in his mouth threateningly as he smiled down at me. He looked at the dress in his arms and then shrugged and put it back where it belongs.

"If you insist, sweetheart," he said simply, and I let out a relieved breath. We started walking towards the front of the store, and I glanced over at him.

His arms were behind his back and he was just casually walking. I was checking to see if he seemed irritated at all from how I'd grabbed his arm. The moment replayed in my head and I felt bad for touching him like that without permission.

I was worried he may view it as me being disrespectful towards him...but I also have a tendency to overthink things.

After a while, I realized that seemingly regular things could set someone off in hell. It's a fast way to get hit, beaten, or raped. So I find myself worrying often about the things I say to my new friends...or the things I do.

Finally, I decided I wanted to properly apologize, just in case.

"Hey Alastor," I started quietly. We were now walking down the sidewalk, and surprisingly there's not many demons out right now.

He stopped, and faced me. I did as well, and looked up at his eyes, fiddling with my fingers.

"Back at the store...I'm really sorry for how I touched you. I've noticed you don't really like others to touch you, and that was rude of me...I'm sorry," I said, bowing my head slightly as my ears lowered.

There was silence, and I don't know if it was tense or if it was just me.

But I think it was just me, because not even a second later he chuckled. My ears perked up and I raised my eyes to his again.

He had an expression of genuine amusement on his face as he laughed softly, then he shook his head.

"You're silly," he said before chuckling again. My nerves slowly dissipated and I smiled slightly as a giggle of my own bubbled up.

Then he held his arm out for me to take, and I hesitated before slowly wrapping my fingers around his arm.

I held onto him tentatively, and we started to walk again.

His body seemed to relax slightly and when he spoke his next words they came out soft.

"I didn't mind at all, Aria."