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Today sucked royally. Plain and simple, it was terrible. You felt exhausted, mentally and physically, and wound up like a spring, but you were trying very hard not to snap at anyone. You could fall apart later, if you chose to, in the safety and privacy of your room. Although the idea of isolation didn’t sound quite so good. You really tried thinking of a better way to perk yourself up, and of course a nice hug and maybe even some hugs came to mind. Coming from a loved one, you knew that could shoot anyone’s feelings through the roof. Though unfortunately, you knew Alastor likely wouldn’t go for it. He was okay with you initiating contact, but only in certain capacities, and you didn’t want to make him comfortable.
Damn it, there went that idea. Oh well, eventually you’d think of something.
You shouldered your way through the doors of the hotel, grumbling quietly as you plodded over towards the bar and promptly sunk into a chair, flopping over the bartop in a pretty hilariously exasperated show. Alastor, who had been speaking to Charlie near the small front desk they had set up, looked on in mild concern. After all, you walked right by him without so much as a hello.
Husk sighed quietly, and waited, knowing that today was a day he was likely going to have to play therapist. Angel, meanwhile, raised a brow before smirking a bit.
“Tough day, Toots?” He asked, his tone just a bit playfully annoying.
“Yes, Angel, it was… Please don’t toy with me right now.” You sighed, lifting your head just enough to look at him with one eye. “I’m not in the mood.”
Angel blinked, looking at Husk and even Alastor (who turned to look at you with a slight look of concern) in turn before looking back to you.
“You want a pick-me-up?”
You shrugged lazily. “I don’t think anything is going to do it for me right now. I doubt even alcohol will help at this point…”
Husk gave you a light nod, looking marginally sympathetic, while Angel looked thoughtful. Well, no alcohol, none of his usual jokes or comments would work…
He grinned, looking down at you with his arms open.
“You want a fluffy tit cuddle?”
Angel knew how you were. You liked physical affection, and he did too, so you both tended to seek it out with each other. Angel, in your opinions, gave great hugs and super nice cuddles, so he was always who you sought out. You had actually come up with the whole “fluffy tits” thing by accident one night, when you were both lounging on his bed. Angel had laughed so hard he almost fell head first off the bed, so you had decided to keep the name as is. Angel followed up by naming his unique brand of cuddling, which never failed to make you giggle-snort. Except for today, maybe.
You were silent and still for a moment, then slowly lifted your arms just a bit as an indicator of what you wanted, like a child lifting their arms for a parent to pick them up.
Angel laughed, reaching out with all four arms to lightly scoop you up, carefully leaning back in his chair while he seated you in his lap. Angel was… Freakishly tall, even taller than Alastor was (though he would refuse to admit it). With you sitting in his lap, your face was still just about at chest level for him, and you gave no resistance at all as he practically smushed your face into his chest fluff, keeping you there with all four of his arms.
You curled your arms around him, a bit looser, as you started taking in deep breaths to let all the frustration out. Normally you were all for talking about the day you had, but right now you just needed to breath and let it go.
Angel gave you a pat to the head, occasionally freeing one of his arms to take a sip of his drink, but he didn’t move.
During the entire exchange, Alastor had been watching, and he felt himself begin to feel a bit of an odd sensation curling in his chest. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling at all. You and Angel were friends, he knew that, but still… You had walked right past him by the door and right over to him, not so much as a hello, before seemingly accepting having your face pressed against his chest. That show of PDA seemed wildly inappropriate to him and always would, even if it was normalized to everyone else, though he had come to begrudgingly accept it.
That was before the two of you started courting, however.
He crossed the lobby, coming to stand just behind Angel’s chair. For someone who had a standard “five foot” rule, he really didn’t seem to have much care of personal boundaries, and was easily within mere inches of Angel’s seat.
“What do we have here?” He glanced down at you, noting how you barely even twitched to his voice.
Angel turned his head, moving to lightly scratch at the base of your ears. That made you practically go limp, and made Angel chuckle. “She had a rough day, Al. Just needs a little tender love and care, and it’ll perk her right up.”
“I see…” Alastor’s smiled tightened a bit, and his tone came off as a bit clipped.
Angel smirked at him. “Oh, ya okay there, Smiles? Ya look a lil jealous over there.”
“I assure you, I am not.” Alastor’s ears flattened in annoyance. Husk hid a snort reasonably well at that. He knew a bluff when he saw one.
“Well if ya want, ya can always have a turn with me later when she’s done.” He grinned.
“Angel…” You admonished, peeking up at him. “Don’t antagonize him… Please.”
“Fine, spoil my fun.” He huffed playfully, reaching back over to take another swig of alcohol.
You stayed like that with Angel for the better part of an hour, and he genuinely didn’t seem to mind. Eventually, you got up with a noticeably lighter feeling and headed to your room to decompress more, which was mainly just showering and changing into some lounging clothes. After that, despite the temptation to try for a nap, you pushed past the slight drowsiness and headed up to Alastor’s studio.
Alastor had made you a regular guest on his show by this point in your relationship, something similar to a co-star some night given how he took recommendations from you about music or asked your opinions of things. For the most part, though, you resigned to plopping yourself on the couch in back and listening. Being up there while he worked his own unique brand of magic was relaxing and interesting, and it gave you more time to spend together. Alastor certainly didn’t mind. You could be as quiet as a mouse when you wanted to, and you were mindful of when it was okay to pipe up with questions.
You stepped past him at his desk, offering a small wave that he returned as you settled on the couch, stretching a bit to loosen up.
“Are we broadcasting tonight?” You hummed, wiping your eyes a bit.
Alastor chuckled lightly. “I am, though I think a solo show would be wiser. You sound tired.”
“I am a little bit, but I’ll push through. I can sleep after.” You shrugged.
Alastor made a humming noise of acknowledgement, keeping his nose in his papers for the night. Something seemed… Odd, about him. He had seemed a bit off, to you at least, since that whole mini confrontation with Angel down in the lobby. You knew he probably didn’t approve of the huge display of affection in public, but it seemed to go beyond that. And you didn’t like it.
“Al?” He turned slightly in your direction. “Is there something wrong?”
He cocked his head. “Where would you get the impression that something is wrong?”
“Because you’ve seemed a bit off for a while now…” You frowned. “Is this about earlier, with Angel?”
Alastor pointedly turned his head. “I haven’t a clue as to what you mean by that.”
Okay, so it was about earlier. At least you narrowed it down… And you actually could more, since you had experience with a jealous Alastor before.
“Were you jealous of Angel?” You quirked a brow. Angel was quite obviously gay, so he couldn’t be jealous in that sense. Not to mention you thought of him like a brother at this point… Lucifer you could understand, since the two of you hung out together sometimes and you knew their little rivalry consisted of getting a rise out of each other. But Angel?
Alastor was quiet for a moment, then sighed. Like Rosie, it was hard to say no or lie to you, and one way or another you always got what you wanted. Even from him.
“If you had been seeking comfort… I should like to think I am reliable in that department.” He ended on a borderline grumble, and you could tell this was really bothering him.
“Oh Al…” You sighed, looking upset. The fact that he was upset about this right now deeply upset you, though more because he was clearly affected by this, more than you thought.
You stood, rising only to walk over to his chair and stand near him. Your presence alone was enough to get him to look at you. “Al, I thought about it, about coming to you, I really did. But I didn’t go to Angel to hurt your feelings.” You took a pause to compose yourself. “I know how you are with touch and PDA. I know you don’t enjoy it. Angel is the kind of friend where I can fling myself across the room and he’s okay with it. With you, I know that would make you uncomfortable. I didn’t want to risk that. You know that your comfort means everything to me…”
Alastor’s expression softened as you explained, and he felt a small prickling of guilt at having second-guessed your motives. He wasn’t even embarrassed at admitting his wrong here.
“Ah, my dear, you never fail to amaze me with your thoughtfulness.” He was right. Most other people wouldn’t have thought twice about his comfort in a situation. You always had his comfort in the forefront of your head, checking and double checking always to see that his comfort was intact. You were the one person he didn’t have to worry about in that regard.
You snorted, shaking your head. “Don’t praise me. I should have thought about what you’d think… I’m sorry.”
He tutted. “Don’t apologize, my doe.” He gently cupped your cheek, giving your cheek a light tap with his thumb. “You are ever so considerate, and I adore you for it. Never forget that.” He said firmly, making sure he got his point across by making you meet his eyes. Seeing you smile, and that you understood him, made him grin and release your chin. “Good. Now then, I believe we have a show to do.”
You perked up visibly, tail swishing eagerly behind you as you laughed.
“I believe we do. Let’s hop on the air.”