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At heart, Vox had always been a businessman. Using his charisma and good looks to make others see things from his perspective, he managed to climb the golden ladder of stardom. It even allowed him to become the leader of a small group that led his every command. That part of him remained intact as he landed in hell. It probably was one of the reasons why he was here, but it stayed as useful in his after-life as on earth. His mind never stopped coming up with new ideas or offers to get others to agree on. Like right now! He sat beside Alastor in their usual bar, side by side as the jukebox played behind them. He had planned this particular pitch for over two months, and had finally perfected it. This was probably the most important, and risky, proposal he had ever done. Trying to get the Radio Demon to be his boyfriend. He would have to present his heart on a silver platter, to a cannibal, and hope it didn’t get torn to pieces. Well, go big or go home. He had been stalling for a while, gushing over how everything technical originally started with radio. Like the Radio Demon needed someone to tell him that. Alastor looked like he agreed with his inner thoughts.
“Am I boring you with my compliments?” His constant smile widened a bit.
“Perhaps, but it’s not unwelcome.”
“Shit, sorry, I have a point! I’ll just keep it short.”
“You have my undivided attention dear, do go on.” Vox could feel his screen darken at the pet name, which was laughable. Alastor called everyone pet names, even people he was about to gruesomely murder. But sue him, it was still nice. A new drink was placed in front of Alastor and Vox took a steadying breath. Showtime.
“Okay so, Al, we’ve been close for a while now. We’ve even started making a name for ourselves! Which is great, amazing even, but I can’t help but think that we could be even more.” Alastor gave him a curious look, urging him to continue.
“And I know that there are new sinners rising towards our level everyday, but c’mon, we have a connection that they could only dream about! Which is why I’d like to ask you to make it official.” His heart was about to beat out of his chest and he stood up from his chair, reaching a hand towards Alastor.
“We could rule this place together, radio and video as one.” Silence. Alastor shifted in his chair, looking a bit uncomfortable, before he gave him his answer.
“That’s quite the proposal Vox, but…” He trailed off and turned his gaze to his drink. With a sigh he looked back up and met Vox’s nervous eyes.
“Is it wise? I can’t help but think about all the ways it could go sideways.” He could feel his antennas droop, even if he tried to stop the pathetic reaction. Really, what did he expect? God, he was so stupid. He dropped his hand to his side, before crossing his arms over his chest, feeling like hell’s biggest loser. Alastor apparently noticed his state, because he actually sounded apologetic when he continued.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I work alone Vox. I always have and always will.” Work? He couldn’t help but to be a bit offended at the implication that being together with him would be such a chore. He was about to say that he would be a great boyfriend, but was cut off by Alastor.
“And don’t they say not to mix business with pleasure?” Now Vox was completely lost, what was Alastor talking about? Which one of them was business and who the hell was pleasure in that metaphor? He turned his question over in his mind to make any sense of it, until a tiny little seed of fear started growing in him. It was an absurd thought, but he knew he would never be able to sleep again if he didn’t pull it out by it’s roots by proving himself wrong. He sat down again, turning the barstool sideways so that he was facing Alastor dead on.
“What are we?”
“What we are?”
“Yeah. To you.” Alastor looked like he was at a loss for words, which was unnerving. After a minute he answered.
“Demons?” If Vox had a nose he would pinch it. He settled on sighing instead.
“No, I mean, what would you say we are to each other?” Alastor brightened, finally understanding.
“Oh! Partners.” Partners was a very fucking vague term.
“Okay, but what kind of partners?” Alastor furrowed his brows.
“Romantic ones? Vox, I’m a bit confused here.” Dread. Cold dread filled him as he realized what was going on, but he couldn’t allow himself to believe it. How the fuck could that be possible?
“What?” He croaked.
”That’s what we are, no? For the last year.” The last year?! The idea that he and Alastor had been together for a year made him panic, so he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
”No we’re not.” Alastor winced and Vox realized he fucked up, big. He could see in real time the walls in shape of a strained smile flying up, keeping Vox out. He and his big, idiotic, mouth.
“I see. I must have been mistaken then.” Alastor sounded like he was about to rip out someone’s spine. He probably wanted to, and that someone being Vox. He opened his mouth to explain himself, to say something, but he couldn’t get a word out. Which made it all worse! Alastor’s mask was in full place now, colder than he’d ever seen it. And it was aimed towards him.
”I think I’d better leave. I’ll see you around Vox.” No! He could not let Alastor go believing Vox was a giant asshole, not when he was so obviously hurt. By him. Fuck. Alastor started to melt into his shadows which finally made him jump into action. He sprung up from his seat, knocking his drink over in his rush to stop Alastor from leaving.
“No no, Alastor wait!” In some way he managed to grab onto his arm, thank fuck, and got dragged with the other into the darkness. Which wasn’t pleasant at all. It was freezing and wet in a really creepy way. Of course Alastor would have such a weird way to teleport. They rematerialized in Alastor’s apartment and Vox had to fight back the urge to throw up all over his carpet. That would not help his case right now. He steadied himself against Alastor’s desk, waiting for his head to stop spinning. Finally, he was in a stable enough condition that he dared to turn his head up to meet Alastor’s eyes. He looked furious, apparently not happy to have a hitchhiker with him back home.
“What do you want, Vox? I think you made your intentions clear already, and I’d really prefer if you’d leave.” This would probably result in him being torn apart, but he’d honestly prefer that over letting Alastor think he hated him. He took a step towards the other, letting go of the desk. Alastor backed away and Vox swore he could feel his own heart crack.
“Please, would you just hear me out? I promise that I can explain.” The radio demon was stubborn, but even he could be persuaded. He tried to come up with some kind of excuse to let him stay.
“If you’re still mad at me after you can eat me.” Was what his fried mind settled on. He mentally punched himself, before sighing in relief when the edges of Alastor’s unusually small smile twitched a bit. He could work with that!
“Please.” Red eyes studied him for an uncomfortably long time, but he refused to budge. Alastor huffed, before he gave him a sharp nod and made his way to the seating area. Vox had to restrain himself not to run ahead of him in his stress to solve this. He followed and carefully sat down on the couch, while Alastor had already forcefully thrown himself into the armchair opposite him. He summoned a drink. One drink, Vox noted, and felt a drop of sweat roll down the back of his neck. Alastor fixed his eyes on him.
“Talk. Before I change my mind and actually eat you right now.” That dangerous growl in his voice should not make Vox’s insides grow warm. Not the time. He struggled on how to begin and Alastor narrowed his eyes at his stalling, making him panic.
“I didn’t know.” He blurted out. The eyes narrowed even more, but in confusion this time.
“That I eat people?”
“No, I-..., I didn’t know that you were my boyfriend.” When the only response he got was a silent ‘boyfriend?” mouthed back he elaborated, in Alastor’s own words.
“I wasn’t aware that we were partners. Romantically.” Alastor looked taken aback.
“What do you mean? How could you not know that?” Now that the threat of Alastor running off had dropped, he allowed himself to be a bit mad himself.
“I don’t know, maybe because we’ve never talked about it? Communication is important in a relationship y'know. And we act the same way we’ve always done!” Thankfully, Alastor didn’t eat him because of his outrage. He mostly looked at him like he was an absolute moron, which he probably was. But to his defense, anyone who had been told that they had been dating the man they were in love with for the past year, without knowing it, would look pretty stupid.
“Vox, I call you darling.”
“You call everyone that! And even if you didn’t, that wouldn’t mean we were in a relationship, that’s just flirting!” He threw his hands up in frustration, which egged Alastor on.
“We go on dates every week, we just were at one!” He felt like someone had slipped something in his drink earlier, because what the fuck.
“Those aren’t dates! That’s just us hanging out!” Alastor’s anger was once again morphed into pure confusion, it was starting to give Vox emotional whiplash.
“Isn’t that what you typically do on a date?”
“No! Or well, yeah I guess, but you do more than just hang out!”
“Well, how should I know that?” Alastor must have been on a date before, come on now. But he decided to save that question for a less intense moment, and focused on proving that he wasn’t completely to blame here.
“I never made any moves on you at all. I’ve never even held your hand, which is kind of a staple for a date, in my opinion.” Alastor shrugged.
“I figured you were just old-fashioned.” Vox was going to blow a fuse. Or cry.
“Old-fashioned?” He never knew his voice could get so high pitched.
“Yes. You know, waiting for marriage.” At this statement, he actually had to take a deep breath to stop himself from crashing. He put his palms together in a praying pose against his face before he managed to continue.
“Alastor. You complain daily about how I’m ‘too modern’ and ‘going too fast’. And that makes you think I’m the type of guy who waits for marriage?!”
“What was I supposed to think?! The option was that you weren’t interested in the physical aspect at all.” What the hell was going on. Was this some sort of lucid dream? Because that was the only explanation for Alastor to think that. He flailed his hands around, completely at a loss for words. At the lack of response he groaned and rubbed at his screen with both hands.
“I’ve never even given you a compliment for god’s sake.” That got him a frown.
“You give me plenty of compliments!”
“Okay, telling someone that they’re inspiring is not a romantic compliment. I meant like telling you that you look beautiful, or how your eyes seem to glow when you wear that black shirt.” Subtle Vox, real fucking subtle. Alastor didn’t notice his slip up, or if he did he at least didn’t mention it.
“But you do that. Over the radio waves.” That dread he felt from earlier returned, but tenfold.
No, no, no, no, no.
“You can hear that?!” He shouted. Screeched, was probably more accurate, and it made Alastor’s ears flatten.
“Of course I can. You just told me today how fascinating it is that all technology is based on radio waves. What did you think that meant?”
“How the fuck should I have known that it also applied to my own thoughts?!” He had never in his life, or after-life, felt this mortified. He had used that frequency for years, broadcasting his inner thoughts to relieve some of the overwhelming feelings he felt. Most of all, his feelings for Alastor. He wanted to forget all this, for them to go back to what they were just half an hour ago, living in ignorant bliss. But he had to know how much Alastor could pick up on, and what he had heard.
“So last week at my place, when I spent over half an hour thinking about how soft your ears looked, you heard it.”
“Yes.” This was some new form of self-torture.
“And last month when I couldn’t stop admiring your-”
“Yes.” He made a sound like he was dying. He felt like he was dying. This could not be happening. He dropped his boxy head into his hands, curling in on himself. He should’ve just kept his stupid mouth shut, again. Shame was crawling inside of him, making him feel sick and really fucking pathetic. Just two days ago he was on the verge to send out an ‘I love you’ when he and Alastor was having coffee, and thank god he had stopped himself. He tried to remember what he had thought over the years, but every little word that came up made him wince.
A drink was placed on the table beside him and he felt the couch dip. He dared to peek up, straightening in his seat but still a bit hunched. Alastor took a sip from his own drink, looking straight ahead. With a sigh he turned and met his gaze, and Vox could see that his facade had finally dropped completely.
“For what it’s worth, I rather liked your compliments. They were sweet.” It did help a bit, knowing that he didn’t think of Vox as a total creep. But he wondered why he never had brought it up before.
“Why didn’t you say something?” Alastor shifted his eyes back to his whiskey, swirling it around in the glass. He gave a small shrug.
“I thought you were shy I guess. That it was a way for you to say what you truly felt.” Oh. Once again, Vox had fucked up. Now Alastor thought he didn’t actually mean those embarrassingly mushy things about him, which couldn’t be less true. Enough, he thought. Enough with all this ‘reading between the lines’-shit, Vox had never liked reading anyway. He took a gulp from his drink to strengthen himself before he turned to face the other.
“It was.” Alastor looked up from his whirlpool of whiskey. Vox's breath hitched when he realized how close they were. But he had to get this out in the air, so he powered on.
“I did mean it, every word.” Those ruby eyes widened, and Vox couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Alastor’s cheeks turn a faint pink. But they did, and it almost made him melt. Vox’s own screen was probably scarlet at the moment, but this was Alastor, who kept his feelings closer to his chest than his own heart. After a minute of silence, Alastor’s smile twitched. He raised an eyebrow towards him.
“Even that part about how, what was it…” He tapped a finger against his chin as he pretended to look for the right words, and Vox knew he was in for another painful reminder. The other suddenly snapped his fingers.
“Oh yeah! How edible my ass looked in those provoking pants?” He groaned and dropped his head back into his hands, while the love of his after-life chuckled at his misery. Maybe he could convince Alastor to eat him now, so that he would be free of this fucking nightmare. Couldn’t hurt to ask.
“Just eat me now. Kill me.” But he didn’t, the request only made his not-killer break out into even more laughter. He couldn’t help but think it was the prettiest laugh he’d ever heard. A hand touched his chin, prompting him to look up once more. Alastor’s eyes danced in amusement.
“Now dear, I didn’t mean it as anything cruel. I was actually curious.” Vox gave him a deadpanned look.
“Yes, of fucking course I meant it. Happy now? You sadist.” Calling someone a sadist had probably never sounded more loving. Alastor looked pleased as he settled back against the cushions.
“Quite.” Vox’s face was burning up, it was literally glowing, and he reached for his drink to try and cool down a bit. After a sip he decided that it was time to change the subject to something that wouldn’t make him overheat. Or die of embarrassment.
“Who even uses ‘partners’ to describe a romantic relationship? People over sixty, that’s who.” He leaned his head against the couch the best he could.
“I am over sixty.”
“Oh. Right.” Age got a bit confusing down here after a while. Alastor rolled his eyes fondly at him.
“Not that ‘boyfriend’ is any better, it makes us sound like we’re barely out of school.”
“Well, if you count in hell-years I’m not even twelve, so it’s not that far off either.” Alastor looked horrified. He opened his mouth, closed it, before he opened it again.
“Yes, and it would make me in my thirties, which would make this…”, he waved a hand between them in a ‘me and you’-gesture. “... into a situation too disturbing even for me.” Vox snorted.
“Yeah, fair point.” Alastor shook his head in disbelief before he shuddered at something. Vox’s stupidity probably, but he didn’t even care at the moment, too caught up in being on cloud nine. But he came crashing down to the burning pit he called home when he realized something.
”I can’t believe you thought my love confession was a fucking business proposal.” Alastor snorted into his drink.
”So that’s what it was. I guess your ‘determined to win this no matter what’-voice is the same whatever the goal is. And to be honest, it wasn’t the most romantic of love confessions”
“Hey! I worked hard on that speech, I even had one of my assistances proof read it.” That didn’t sound as passionate when he said it out loud, and from Alastor’s judging look he seemed to agree.
“Alright, you win. Can I blame it on being really fucking nervous and weak in the knees at the thought of you actually listening to me?”
“I’ll accept it.”
It really had been a kinda shitty confession. One that thankfully worked out in the end, although not as planned. But if they were doing this, they were doing it right. That deer was going to be wined and dined, he was going to be sick of flowers and whatever the cannibal-version of chocolates was. Filled with new confidence, he took Alastor’s hand in his own and made his pitch.
“I’ve been the worst partner, slash boyfriend, slash suitor ever. Can I please make it up to you?” Alastor’s eyes softened. How had he missed that look before?
“I believe I am to blame as well for this mishap, cher.” And fuck, that was new. A really good sort of new, that made Vox’s mind think very improper things.
“But if you insist, who am I to stop you?” Of course he’d make Vox beg for it, which he happily did.
“Let me take you on a date. A real one, with compliments that I actually say out loud for a change.” Alastor’s blinding smile rivaled his own glowing one.
“I’d love to, darling.” He had to suppress the urge to jump up from the couch in joy. Instead he brought Alastor’s hand to his mouth and gave it a gentle kiss, over the moon to see that blush blooming up on his face once again.
He should have known asking someone like Alastor out would never go according to plan, but it could’ve gone a lot worse. He nearly lost his mind, but at least his heart was well intact. Actually, it had never been fuller.