Snow Angel (Alastor x OC)

•{Chapter 14}•

Protecting Her From Rose Thorns

Several weeks had passed since the evening Harlene and Alastor had gone to the estate owned by a much more secluded overlord known as The Huntsman, whose name was actually Holter Thomas and was the older brother of Claude Thomas, the man who had fathered Harlene's son. Ever since, Harlene hadn't heard of anything from either of the brothers, something that she was completely fine with considering how distraught she'd become, facing Claude again after almost a century.

In the meantime, Harlene had been focussing on other matters that she'd deemed much more important, such as spending time with her new friends and developing even stronger bonds with each of them. For example, Harlene spent more time at the hotel's bar, practising her drawing whilst talking with Husk. She'd also tried to help Niffty with the cleaning as often as she could, even though she was far weaker than the tiny cyclops demon and proved herself unable to hold more than two bags of rubbish at once. Harlene had also begun having sleepovers with Angel Dust every Friday night, and sometimes Cherri Bomb would tag along too. Additionally, Harlene and Alastor had spent every evening in the library together, trying to teach themselves of modern terms and findings.
Also, since the Happy Hotel's Opening Dance had been scheduled for the end of the current month - February, Harlene found herself taking up every opportunity to help Charlie and Vaggie advertise the event, in spite of it still being rather early in the month. Luckily, Charlie had been able to book a session with the 666 News Station that would happen the night before the dance. It had been the only time that there was an available slot in the news station's schedule.
As a matter of fact, Harlene was making her way down one of Pentagram City's busiest streets, without a cloak - something that was entirely new for her, to put up posters for the dance. Alastor had insisted on going with her.

"So, do you think you'll come to the opening?" Harlene asked two feminine demons who had been strutting by and laughing at the poster she'd just put up.

Both of them broke into callous laughter, the bird-like demon unable to clamp her beak back together. Abruptly, their laughter stopped as Alastor came to a stand behind Harlene, threateningly staring down at them. Frightening radio clicks became audible when Alastor sorely twisted his neck to one side and his pupils resembled radio dials. He hadn't needed to say anything to get the terrified souls to frantically say they would go before rushing off.
Embarrassed, Harlene waved after them, then turned towards Alastor who had started walking away along the pavement, compelling her to follow after him.

"Do you think I did okay?" she asked shyly.

"Marvellously, my darling," Alastor hummed, his face having reverted back to normal as he peered down at her.

Harlene eyed him skeptically. "Then why was scaring them necessary?"

"They were being rude. I would rather not stand by when other demons treat you with such disrespect."

"That's so weird, coming from a serial killer," she joked.

"I thought we already got past the idea that I'm a loveless bluenose?" he chuckled.

"It doesn't count if you can only love your mother," Harlene declared tauntingly, then skipped over to another wall beside an alleyway to put up the final poster.

Successfully sticking the poster to the exterior wall of the shop, Harlene let a little yawn escape her and rubbed her eyes tiredly. They'd spent the entire afternoon placing hundreds of posters throughout the city. Because Harlene got exhausted easily, her feet were dragging over the ground as she walked. She turned back to Alastor, spotting his faint shadow grow darker with a twisted smile. It moved differently to Alastor and appeared to have a mind of its own as it tapped Alastor on the shoulder. Alastor turned his head to it like it was normal (and it was since Harlene had seen this multiple times now), and heaved a sigh as the plain eyes of the alike figure seemed to mark him with disappointment.