New and Strange (Alastor x Angel Dust)

Chapter 9: Avoidance

Just wanted to say, happy Mother's Day! Let your Mammas and Grandmas and Aunts know you love them! Have a great Mother's Day!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alastor walked briskly between demons, offering help and directions, but mainly scaring them off. Elizabeth sat with Charlie and Vaggie in the lobby, turning to look at him as he walked up and talked to them very...friendly.

"Somethin' is wrong." Elizabeth muttered as her motherly instincts kicked in.

"He does this every morning." Vaggie stated blandly. She honestly didn't care if Alastor was having problems.

"He's never so friendly to the guest, Vaggie. Yes he helps them and all, but he always has such a professional attitude. This is different." Charlie bit down on her nails. She hated that someone close to her was in distress.

"Charlie," Elizabeth's voice was firm and held no room for argument, "Vaggie and I are gonna head up to the livin' room upstairs. Tell Al that if he's not up there in five minutes, I'mma be mighty unhappy."

"Yes, Auntie Eliza." Charlie quickly got up and headed over to Alastor as Elizabeth grabbed a startled Vaggie's wrist and hailed her upstairs with surprising strength for such a thin figure

-----------------------------------------------------------

"What's wrong, Alastor?" Elizabeth got straight to the point as her son walked through the door with Charlie.

"Wrong? What could possibly be wrong, Mother dear?" Alastor's fist clenched for a split second and loosened to his regular palm.

"In fact," Alastor stopped in the middle of the room as Charlie sat down, seeming to be in thought, "I don't know why, but I feel great! It's like my favorite radio station came on on their playing all the best jazz toons! I feel absolutely spectacular!" Alastor swept his arms up into the air, the three females notices his fist clench again before releasing.

"Alastor!" the two younger females shrank into the couch ad they heard Elizabeth's voice. She sounded pissed, "Ya're fist clenches up when ya lie! I'm ya're mother young man! Now ya better tell me what is goin' on before I snap!" Alastor shrank away from his mother as she approached him, she was the only person he could truly be afraid off.

"Honestly Mother, nothing's wrong." Another fist clench, "Everything's fine! It's not like I kissed Angel Dust or anything!"

"You did what!?" The three females screeched. Before Alastor could blink, he'd been shoved into the armchair next to the sofa. Charlie and his mother where kneeling on either side, and Vaggie was hovering off to the right, trying her best to not show how clearly interested she was.

"Tell me everything!" Elizabeth demanded, wearing a giant smile.

"Tell you what?" Alastor regretted that he could ever speak, "I said it's not like I kissed Angel Dust."

"Alastor," Elizabeth's voice was firm again, "stop spewing that poppycock right now cause I know ya're lien'."

"Now spill the beans!" Charlie was over enthusiastic, as always.

"I will drag that stupid spider in hear if you don't start talking!" Vaggie threatened. Her already thin patience was evaporating.

"He's not stupid!" Alastor growled with a sudden ferocity. Realizing what he'd just said and done, he felt the same fuzzy feeling he had when he kissed Angel explode in his head again. He couldn't believe he'd just defended the ex porn actor, and apparently so did Vaggie and Charlie.

Alastor remembered how his mother had said she could see that he...loved Angel Dust. Could what she had said been true? Had he, one of the most powerful overlords of Hell, really fallen for the vulgar, annoying soul that was Angel Dust? But Angel Dust wasn't just annoying and vulgar, Alastor had experienced Angel's kindness and compassion. What was this feeling that Alastor was feeling?

"Alastor?" Charlie muttered worriedly. Alastor didn't hear her in his deep pool of thought. He was thinking of how the spider seemed to worm his way into his every thought, how he hated seeing Angel flirt with other demons, how he'd hated seeing that bruise on Angel's face, how he so enjoyed seeing the spider happy, how much he wanted to see the other male even now.

"My deepest apologies for leaving so suddenly." Alastor's voice was distant and distracted as he rose from the chair, "I'm afraid there is something of the utmost importance I must do." With that, Alastor left, heading towards the roof.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Angel turned to the sound of the roof door opening and closing, and smiled when he saw the deer demon standing there.

"Hey, Al!" Angel stood up and sauntered over, pausing when he saw the distant look on Alastor's face. "You okay, Al?" Alastor took slow steps forward until he was able to reach out and take Angel's top hands into his.

"Angel," Alastor spoke slowly through his usual smile, which was now almost gone, "you make me happy. Did you know that?"

"Uh...no." Angel was confused by Alastor's unusual manner. He looked so unsure.

"I don't know why, but I can't imagine what it would be like without you. When I first came to this hotel, I was looking for something to keep me occupied and entertained because I felt as if there was no real meaning to my existence here. That was the reason I stayed at first, but I think that reason changed."

"Okay?" Angel was so confused. Alastor never spoke so slowly and lightly.

"I didn't realize it at first, but I started growing found of you. I still hated you vulgar language and how you constantly made everything related to deep intimacy, but I was still fond of you." Alastor gently brushed his thumbs over the top but f Angel's hands, he stared at them like they were the hands of God.

"I won't deny that I enjoy your smile, and how you were so bold against any problem that came your way. I admire that you are to stubborn to let something you wanted slip away from you."

"Thanks, Al." Angel couldn't tell where this was going.

"After you comforted me about my nightmare. It stopped. Because of you, I no longer have that nightmare."

"That's great, Alastor!"

"Then you found my mother." Alastor continued as of Angel had never even spoken, "I could never thank you enough for that. You found the person I hold most dear...well, one of the people I hold most dear. You see Angel dear, after those things...I think I may have...fallen for you." Angel let out a gasp.

"I know, it seems impossible that I could love anyone, but I think I love you Angel Dust. I really think I do." Alastor cast his gaze up so he could look Angel on the eye. Alastor's smile was now completely genuine.

"You make me feel things I've never felt before Angel, love is one of them, romantic love that is. If you would be willing to except my love, I'd like to try that dating thing with you." Alastor was met with silence. It lasted like mg enough for Alastor to almost frown and pull his hands away.

"I'm so-" Alastor was silenced by a pair of lips smashing into his. It only took a moment for him to reality Angel was kissing him before he kissed back. They stayed in their awkward embrace for who knows how long, enjoying their sweet kiss.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Alastor tossed his blankets up as he woke. He sat up faster then a bolt of lightning, then slammed a hand over his mouth as he remembered the dream. His head grew fuzzy and warm as he thought about the end of it. He'd been dreaming that he had said something sappy about love to Angel and then Angel had kissed him, only it had been much more passionate then the kitchen as from a few days ago.

"What's happening to me?" Alastor asked himself as he sat in the darkness, questioning his entire being.