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Alastor let out an exhausted sigh as he paced around his room dressed in his pajamas; honestly, he didn’t know why he bothered to dress for sleep when he clearly wasn’t getting any. Wishful thinking? Delusions of a weary mind? His body was on autopilot; maintaining the repetitious chugging he’d grown accustomed to within the past two weeks. Or three? No, it’d been three days since he’d last gotten any sleep, because that was the schedule they had decided on; that’s where the number three had come from. Each would take three days with her. Wait, no they were also crawling up on three weeks of this unexpected drastic change in their lives. Or was it four?
A sad despairing cry pulled his jumbled mind back to focus on the tiny bundle held tenderly to his chest. As tears too large for something so small bubbled up and split over crimson-gold eyes, running down chubby cheeks to further soak his night shirt, his heart clutched. Instantly, the fearsome Radio Demon started cooing softly and whispering words of affection meant to soothe and calm the infant he’d barely known all of a few weeks. His daughter, his and Charlie’s daughter, Dawn.
Truthfully, he still hadn’t completely wrapped his head around things. Obviously, this was not the intended outcome when he and Charlie had performed a spell from her father’s old Grimoire. Charlie had been apologetic and frantic over what she deemed her mistake; stating she had no business trying to read a language she wasn’t fluent in to preform a spell she’d no experience with. But Alastor did not place blame on her, after all, they both had willingly participated in the ritual, both excited at the prospects of a powerful weapon; although for each their own reason.
No, if he was going to blame anyone, he’d blame that inept father of hers, Lucifer, for his shitty handwriting and loose notes scattered within the pages. Did the man not know the importance of keeping one’s Grimoire tidy? No wonder a mistake had been made in translation! Despite that, Charlie had done a magnificent job in reading the text, there was no way this was her fault; it had to be his. Alastor chose to ignore the gnawing fact that even if it had been Charlie’s fault in some way, that nevertheless he would have excused her for reasons he was still uncomfortable admitting to himself.
More pitiful cries had him doubling his efforts in trying to soothe the results of a spell gone wrong; fatigue was heavy on him though, and his chugging was becoming less and less, his pacing slower and slower. As Dawn’s cries whimpered out and she made gasps for breath, her upset clearly taking a toll on her as well, the Radio Demons heart broke; not knowing how to ease whatever ailed her. While she had been unexpected, unplanned, and definitely not brought into being in the traditional means; Alastor still felt a deep unexplainable connection to this small soul.
In a flash of magical green light, he’d become a father; a sentiment he was still grasping to make sense of but that consumed him all the same. It forced him to feel things he’d never had to deal with before, and startlingly brought up unresolved anger at the treatment he’d received from his own father whilst alive. How could a father treat their child in such a way? When it caused such feelings as this? Something he couldn’t even describe. Alastor knew himself to be an evil man, however, coming to know this bond and that his father had still went against it? He supposed his father surpassed him in that regard… he could not imagine treating the bundle in his arms with malice; and he disliked children! However, she was his… and her very tears were causing hot wet pricks to sting at his own eyes…
The Radio Demon shook his head. He needed sleep. His control was slipping and emotions he normally had no issue in keeping buried were coming alarmingly close to the surface.
Another sigh left him as he stared down at Dawn with heavy watery eyes. He wished he knew the problem. He’d fix it in a heartbeat, not just for his and Charlie’s sanity but to ease this fussy little girl’s distress. She wasn’t like this during the day for the most part. Him and Charlie always came together in the waking world as a team, partners in this just as with the hotel, to make sure their daughter was well taken care of. She’d get a bit fussy here and there, usually when he or Charlie had to take off for other pressing matters leaving her with only one parent, but her discontent typically didn’t last long. No, her complete distraught always came at night.
Glancing at the clock, Alastor’s perpetual smile almost faltered; it was only 1AM and he wouldn’t be handing Dawn off to Charlie until 10AM, he was still a long way away from his turn being over… His daughter let out another long shaking wail, causing him to cringe as his ears pinned back and his tear ducts burned his eyes. Without thought, his feet hastily carried him across the floor and he was out the door and heading down the hall towards Charlies room in a blink. He needed sleep and his body had made a snap decision for him before his mind could even process his motor functions; dazed, he found he’d already knocked on the Princess of Hell’s door.
Hearing movement inside the room, Alastor continued to chug and pat his daughter while waiting for the charming belle within to answer his impromptu late-night call. Observantly, he noted that his little fawn’s wailing had died down some; tampering down from desperate wails to sniffled whimpers as her small deerlike ears stood erect at both sides of her head and flicked at the sounds of her mother coming to the door. Relief washed through him as he desperately hoped this was a sign that the young thing just wanted her mother.
As a soft light slowly spread into the dark hall, Alastor couldn’t fight the fond smile at seeing Charlie’s disheveled figure standing in the door way; her blonde hair glowed like a halo from the illumination of the room behind her and her eyes hooded dreamily from the sleep he’d clearly pulled her from. Briefly, he felt a small twinge of shame at what he was about to ask seeing her tired features; knowing, like himself, she had barely rested any in the past few weeks. It was amazing how much energy an infant stole from you, even when you got a “break”; turns out you spent all that time worrying about the tiny creature and trying in vain to catch up on rest.
“Alastor? Is everything ok, I was just starting to fall asleep –“
Her tone was thick with worry as she stepped closer checking on the baby clutched to his chest; assessing her wellbeing.
“Charlie.”
Too drained to maintain his radio filter, his voice was more vulnerable than he’d like as he spoke and he hoped she hadn’t caught his moment of weakness; but it couldn’t be helped as he pressed forward.
“I haven’t slept in three days, chéri… please.”
Concern flashed over Charlie’s face as she held his gaze; taking Dawn into her arms in a loving embrace, as she now measured him and his welfare. The tiny fawn was more than happy to transfer to her mother’s chest and Alastor couldn’t even bring himself to be insulted by that; he’d wager from both his exhaustion and the compelling thought that Charlie’s chest was probably more comfortable with the added cushion it provided… fuck he needed sleep. He’d never entertain thoughts like those if he was sound of mind.
Smiling tenderly as their daughter’s cries had subsided to small whimpers and hiccups; Alastor took this as a sign that her mother had indeed been what she had wanted. Running his hand affectionately through her soft tuft of blonde hair that was kissed with fire at the tips, he let out an involuntary tired sigh at the prospect that he might actually get some rest.
“Thank you.”
As if sensing his intent, Dawn’s bawling started anew as soon as he turned to leave; reaching out desperately with one pudgy arm towards him, while still clinging tightly to her mother with the other. Alastor brought a hand to his face in addled fatigue, covering his eyes to hide the effect his fawn’s cries had on him, his smile bordering on a grimace; while guilt consumed him for even entertaining the thought of leaving her, even if it was with her mother.
Once he’d gathered himself, he went to transfer the little girl back to his arms, shushing and whispering his apology as he reached to take her. However, he was stumped as she refused to let go of her mother and yet still held tightly to his hand that had attempted to wrap around her. The placement this left his hand in would under normal circumstances have been embarrassing for both him and Charlie, the appendage resting on her chest while Dawn clutched his forefinger; however, in their present state both parents just sadly stared at their despairing daughter at a loss.
Pinching the bridge of his nose with his spare hand, Alastor rubbed at his tear ducts with his thumb and forefinger trying to ward off the buildup of emotion; pitiful whimpers and sniffles taking their toll on him in company with exhaustion. It didn’t help that Charlie’s big expressive eyes also were full of unshed tears as her worried gaze shifted from father to daughter. Honestly, he was astonished that she was able to hold them back; she was the empathetic one out of the two of them after all.
Frazzled, Alastor’s free hand dropped back to his side as he spoke to Dawn; his voice full of unchecked sentiment and still free of its usual filter or static.
“I don’t know what you want mon cœur –“
Dawn quieted down now, only letting out small snivels as clear liquid continued to run from her nose down her face to join the hot mess of her tears. Grimacing, the deer demon begrudgingly took the sleeve of his night shirt to mop up his fawn’s face; not having a handkerchief on him nor the energy to conjure one. Not that it would matter at this point; both his and Charlie’s shirts had already been thoroughly soaked with the mixture by the tiny babe’s dismay.
“Alastor.”
Charlie’s voice was soft and held a touch of apprehension as she watched him clean their daughters pudgy face.
“Hm?”
As inelegant and lazy a response that it was, it was all he could manage in his current mental state to show he was listening to his charming belle; his attentions still on their fawn.
“Why don’t you come in and lay down…”
That got his attention and briefly gave him a small joust of energy. Trying to appear unphased by her comment, he slowly focused his gaze on Charlie, and he took comfort in how warmly she regarded him; her concern for him clear in her rosy eyes. The offer while not proper seeing as how they weren’t in a relationship, despite having a child together, was so tempting. It was shocking how quickly and happily he wanted to agree, and Alastor knew eventually he’d have to come to terms with his growing attachment to Hell’s princess; but for now, he’d blame Dawn and exhaustion. Not to seem over eager, he was careful with his next words.
“Are you sure?”
His darling belle only smiled and rubbed their daughters back soothingly.
“Yes… she clearly wants us both near her.”
At a loss for words, the Radio demon agreed with a short nod of his head; his heart pounding in his ears as Charlie turned to enter the room. The movement caused Dawn to lose her grip on his hand and at first when he left her field of vision, she briefly fused before she was able to catch sight of him again. Following the pair inside, he softly closed the door behind him and Dawns attention held fast to him as Charlie walked around the bed.
His tired eyes couldn’t help but to glue to Charlie’s form as she glided across the room, a strong sense of… something… bubbling up and spreading throughout his being as he watched her with their fawn. He didn’t have long to ponder on it, though, before she stopped at her bedside table to pick up that annoying modern excuse of a telephone. Distain, a feeling he could easily identify and was comfortable with, filled him watching as she used one hand to quickly peck away at the device with her thumb.
After a moment she place the gadget back on the table, before looking up at him in concern. Realizing that he was still standing sheepishly at the door, Alastor quickly moved forward before she could question his hesitation. Charlie smiled as he approached the bed from the opposite side and together, they pulled the covers back and crawled in to the massive thing. Alastor tried to keep his gaze from flitting to her, but the material of her pajamas pulled taut in interesting places on her figure as she maneuvered her way closer to the center; calling his attention despite his efforts. The situation left him feeling surreal, but he was able to snap out of it enough to help place Dawn in the middle between them.
Giving his mind a safer focus, Alastor smiled down on the clearly suspicious baby; amused as her crimson-gold eyes darted back and forth between himself and Charlie. Both parents getting comfortable on their sides to face her; each propped up on an elbow, face in hand and reaching with their spare hands to provide comfort. His hand lay flat over her pudgy belly, while Charlie’s laid over her tiny chest overlapping his; together they covered the tiny fawn’s petite torso like a blanket.
With her mother and father next to her and touching her, both halves of her whole together, Dawn’s eyes slowly started to close. Though, the little devil fought the pull of sleep a few times; rapidly blinking her eyes open to glance between them, as if to reassure herself that they were both still present. But eventually sleep overtook the infant and a hush settled over the room as Charlie and Alastor both silently watched her little chest rise and fall with matching soft smiles.
“She’s not so bad, when she’s asleep.”
Charlie chuckled softly at his obvious joke, the lovely sound pulling his gaze back up to her face. Just now realizing how close they were to one another, both leaning forward over their fawn, Alastor’s heart started to race once more. He was mortified, sure his charming belle could hear the rapid thuds; how could she not with how close they were? As if sensing his stare, her eyes lifted from their sleeping baby to his and her cheeks heated in a pretty blush; clearly, she’d not noticed their proximity either until this moment. But she didn’t try to pull away…
As if needing to break the now thick stillness and focus on something other than the growing tension between them, Charlie spoke; her voice unsure and meek.
“My dad TEXT’d… he wants to come over and spend time with her tomorrow, er well, today.”
Alastor offered her a reassuring smile, knowing she was concerned on how he would take that news seeing as how well her father and himself got along. Reluctantly, and only to himself, he had to admit that for once he was looking forward to the King of Hell visiting; let the child-sized “king” play babysitter for a few hours.
“Perhaps we can get some much-needed rest then.”
Charlie’s supple giggle washed over him and he felt his body loosen as the melody relaxed him; allowing his tense frame to sink further into the comfort of her bed and their situation. His mind easing; no longer worrying over the hammering and constriction in his chest.
“I think we should give up on that dream. Our restful nights disappeared with the coming of Dawn.”
He grinned at her word play and both glanced down at the fawn between them happily. The constriction in him only worsened, yet somehow, his entire being felt light. Alastor vaguely wondered if this was what being at peace felt like? But… it was so much more complicated a sensation. He felt whole? maybe, but more… it was something…
“I didn’t want this you know –“
His little demon belle’s wavering voice pulled him from his ponderings; her voice was heavy with emotion and his eyes pulled back to her angelic face. Alastor couldn’t quite read her features; her eyes and smile were so soft looking down at their fawn, but her brows were scrunched together exposing her worry.
“Charlie, we’ve been over this, it’s not your fault.”
At his reassuring words, her forehead briefly relaxed as she glanced up at him with a thankful smile before her gaze went back to the sleeping baby between them.
“I know… I mean… I just didn’t want to be a mother. Ya know? It wasn’t something I’d planned… and all of this has been… so frustrating. And difficult. And hard. And I feel like I’m failing. And I get so annoyed. And I feel guilty because she didn’t ask for this either! And it’s just all so strange, because… she didn’t come from me, but… she’s a part of me and now –“
Alastor watched her intensely as she caught her breath, her rosy eyes shining bright with all the emotions she was confiding to him.
“… I didn’t know I could love something so much.”
A few tears finally broke free and rolled down her cheeks as she stared down at Dawn, with all the love a mother should, reminiscent of his own with himself; and the Radio Demon felt that stirring again. That feeling of… something, he couldn’t describe or identify.
“I’m sorry for rambling… I’m just tired I guess.”
Overcome with emotions himself; he resolved to blame his vulnerability and candid actions on their shared exhaustion. Slowly, Alastor lifted his hand from Dawn to reach over to cup Charlie’s cheek, brushing his thumb in an exposed loving gesture to wipe away the salty trails and remaining wetness.
“Charlie, darling. I know exactly how you feel.”
Tranquility settled, and the atmosphere created was warm and filled with so many unspoken possibilities, which neither felt could be voiced properly with hazy indistinct minds. Instead, they simply enjoyed the moment between them; allowing it to mature and take root.
The spell was broken when fatigue caught up to Charlie causing her to let out a wide tired yawn, and Alastor barely managed to fight off his own in response. Captivated as a blush spread across his demon belle’s cheeks from her weary display, the heat warmed his hand which still pressed intimately to her face, and his chest gave another involuntary hard thump.
“I should turn the light off so we can get some sleep. We really shouldn’t waste this opportunity.”
Charlie’s voice was soft and uncertain; his belle couldn’t have hidden her embarrassment or apprehension from him if she’d tried. He acknowledged her simply by summoning his shadow to assist, and the room was suddenly bathed in darkness as the shade turned the bedside lamp off; a blue glow the only source of light briefly from its smile and eyes before it disappeared.
Finding courage in the dark, Alastor pulled his hand back from her cheek to give her shoulder a gentle reassuring squeeze; before he brazenly allowed the appendage to glide down her slim figure to rest on her hip. Giving another tender press, his heart began its pounding anew as he left his hand there, wishing to maintain a physical connection with her. He waited on baited breath for her to rebuff his affections, but her rejection never came. Wordlessly, they both settled into the bed getting more comfortable, and they each snuggled closer to the peaceful infant between them.
Sleep didn’t take long to claim Charlie, but the deer demon fought the rest he’d so desperately sought after earlier just to watch the rise and fall of his doe’s and fawn’s chests in contentment. Alastor was honestly uncertain when or why he’d started thinking of Hell’s princess as ‘his’. It was something he’d scolded himself for multiple times in the past, but the slipup only grew in frequency over the course of his tenure with the hotel; becoming even worse with the arrival of Dawn. He’d aimed to correct it; however, with recent events… perhaps he could embrace it instead?
His chest tightened, heart pounding as his body was filled with the sensation of falling, but his smile was soft and genuine as indescribable feelings washed over him while he watched his girls; and that sentiment only overflooded him more with... something he was not going to bother with worrying over tonight. Instead, he let it settle over him and allowed it to lull him to sleep.
Unconsciously, the Radio Demon’s and Princess of Hell’s bodies sought the other out throughout the night; their legs intertwining, forms growing closer, curved in a crescent like shape to allow room for their fawn between them. Charlie’s face had tilted towards Alastor’s and his cheek rested on the top of her head. His hand on her hip having slid to her back somewhat pulling her body slightly closer.
This is how Lucifer found them in the coming morning.
When Charlie hadn’t answered the door, he didn’t think anything of it as he’d quietly let himself in to check on her and his granddaughter. Receiving his apple pie’s TEXT in the middle of the night, he’d headed straight over to the hotel earlier than planned; assuming his daughter would be up and in need of assistance with the new baby.
Assistance he was more than happy to offer as he was thoroughly delighted to be able to spoil and dote over his granddaughter. Sure, the news had come as a shock to him at first. He’d thought he’d had his old Grimoire in safe keeping; it never occurred to him that Charlie would attempt one of his spells without seeking his guidance first… Plus, he wasn’t too thrilled with who the father was…
However, standing at the foot of his daughter’s bed watching the impromptu family, he couldn’t help but to smile warmly.
Small sounds of baby burble pulled him to walk closer to peer between the pair, and he was greeted with now alert crimson-gold orbs. Dawn smiled up at him as she began to wiggle and her adorable noises started to gain some volume in a demand for attention. Glancing between mother and father, Lucifer quickly went over to Charlie’s side of the bed to carefully reach over her and gather his little lamb into his arms.
He remembered what it was like being a new parent, despite two centuries having passed since then, and how exhausting it was especially during the first few months. The pair obviously deserved a well-earned uninterrupted rest; seeing as how neither had stirred at his presence. A fact that he would be sure to lord over the “eminent” Radio Demon later… Quickly magicking a note out to Charlie and reluctantly, Alastor, as to the whereabouts of their child, he placed them on the corresponding bedside tables to be easily spotted. Lucifer then quietly made his way out of the room with Dawn, cooing down to her as he left.
“Who’s going to spend the day with grandpa? Huh? Who’s grandpa’s lil lamb?”
As Lucifer made his way further down the hall, his doting and Dawn’s resulting giggles muffled down as the door softly shut behind him with a click and the room was still. With the space between them now unoccupied, the pair left behind instinctively snuggled deeper into one another; wrapped together by a strong invisible pull that neither could describe in the waking world and each had futilely denied.
Both having been lost in the dark until they were found by the guiding light from the coming of Dawn.