Chapter Text
it was a hot day in New Orleans, and alastor was honestly starting to regret wearing a sweater that day. the heat only got worse with age, and he preferred colder weather. he had considered moving somewhere where the summers were less intense, but he could never just leave his home state now!
alastor sighed; he had just finished a broadcast, and was already anguishing the thought of getting up from his seat.. he was only 63 and already struggling to get out from a goddamn chair.
he held onto his back as he got up, using the arm rest for support as he groaned quietly. he didn't want anyone thinking that he was too old to work for radio anymore, now did he?
as soon as he opened the door to his station, the same glass box he had been behind for decades now, he was met with a very anxiously happy man.
"mr. hartfelt! it's lovely to finally meet you.." he stammered, and his eyes were widened to an intense degree. alastor hadn't heard this excitement from anyone when meeting him since 1936! "my name is vincent whittman, and i don't mean to intrude but i feel it's important you hear me out on a proposition i have set up for you." he continued.
"well, go on, i'm waitin' over here.." alastor added, not yet fully interested. throughout his career, many men in business had tried to convince them that they were even worth his time.. alastor was one of the very first men of colour on air, and he took pride for it! he had worked his very hardest to make it where he was today, and he wouldn't just let some silly business man ruin it all for him..
"well, i work for bloomberg businessweek, and i've noticed your talent for years now.. that calmness you have when you speak to your audience, it brings a gentle touch to your entire broadcast!" he laughs nervously, trying to open up a folded binder that was practically stuck together with glue. vincent looked so nervous, and alastor would have been a dumbass if he didn't notice the blush covering vincent's cheeks.. "i think you would be really good in the spotlight again, it's like you don't age! many people who loved your broadcast back in the late 30's would probably love to see you on TV!"
"hm.." alastor responded, suddenly feeling a slight cramp in his lower back. it was like a spider was inside of his goddamn spine, but god forbid he showed some sort of weakness to a twinkie little white man. he could probably wrap his hands around that poor thing's waist without any trouble if he wanted to. did starving yourself for TV really make you a superstar? "what's init for you? people like ya' really seem to only make deals if they want something in exchange.."
vincent's head snapped up from his folded binder, gulping silently. he didn't expect mr. hartfelt to be so upfront, but what could he really expect from a senior citizen.. he cleared his throat before finally snapping that stupid binder open. "well just.. think about it. what would i want? a good rating. your raw talent has already proven itself through radio, and i'm offering you a great opportunity to rake in more cash and get even higher in the entertainment business.." mr. whittman tried to seem as calm as he could, but alastor could tell he was quite desperate for alastor to acknowledge this little binder full of data.
reaching for his bag, alastor grabbed his glasses. he adjusted them slightly, and looked at vincent with sharp eyes. alastor smiled as he looked down at the data table; it showed records from the past few years of how many people reported to still listen to radio. it was true the numbers were dropping like crazy, especially in the past year.. "well, ain't that a peach.. you make a good point." he sighed, looking up at vincent with kinder eyes now.
alastor could just see vincent's eyes light up, those pretty blue and green eyes sparkling with excitement that THE alastor jean hartfelt was considering HIS deal TO HIM!!! he felt like his heart was about to explode, but he had to keep calm.. this was business afterall. vincent wasn't some school girl on the playground looking at her crush on the swingsets.. he was staring at alastor, who was shifting through his binder and adjusting his glasses every few seconds..
and oh god did he look absolutely breathtaking. vincent had imagined a thousand times over what alastor would actually look like in person, since the papers back in the 40's didn't even have any memorable coloured photos of him to cut out. of course he had a few kept on his wall to this day, but THAT DIDN'T MATTER!!
"soo.. heh.. what do ya think?" he smiled with obvious nervousness, trying to seem cool by leaning on the table slightly. it only made him look dorky, and it was honestly reeling in alastor more than someone who was actually 'cool and collected.' those types always bored him. their sheer confidence was more than a business turn off for him.
"i think.. that i gotta think about this more." alastor answered with an almost apologetic tone, as if he was babying the younger man. and if we're all being honest, vincent was falling for every word like a goddamn lap dog. his smiled curved, and his face was even pinker than before if possible.
"well.. if you want.." he turned back to his messenger bag, (how queer) and pulled out a copy of all of the papers inside of his folder. "you can keep these to think about.. because that binder there is used for much more than just radio data mr hartfelt!" he smiled, almost chuckling before catching himself. never laugh before the other during a business meeting..!!
alastor gave him a small chuckle as a response, taking the papers and humming as he did. "i'll look these ova' more.. why don't chu come back next week for me, dear? i'm sure i'll 'ave made up my mind by then." alastor asked almost lazily, knowing what response he was about to recieve from the man who obviously had a massive crush on him. never meet your idols! unless they're alastor hartfelt, i guess..
"hah.. yeah! i'll come back here, same time next week, is that fine?" he stammered, getting way too excited to even look professional. vincent didn't even care anymore, he was practically IN with alastor!! his company was gonna be ecstatic with him when he brought back an old star.. and old star he adored a bit too much.
"that's all fine an' dandy.. now run along, i do have work i need'a catch up on, yeah?" he smiled warmly, already growing fond of this clearly obsessed man.
"yeah.. y-yeah yeah.. i'll see you next week!" vincent stuttered, bumping against the coat hanger as he waved goodbye to alastor with pure excitement written all over his face.
"stupid boy.. you'll get yur-self hurt.." he snorted, looking over the files again. in all honesty, alastor had no interest in climbing any social ladders. he was already happy working for 'wired fortune & inc' as is..
but that mans curious excitement was making him feel things he had sworn to his mother years ago he'd never feel for any woman. well, at least he wasn't telling his dear mom a lie then. vincent clearly wasn't a woman by any means, but dear god, was he a pretty boy.
outside the studio, vincent was absolutely ecstatic. he had been crushing on alastor for ages.. ever since vincent heard that darling voice on the radio, he just couldn't get alastor out of his head. he was barely even 7 when alastor had started his radio broadcast, and if he was completely honest, it was the only thing he wanted to listen to.
his mom spoiled him ROTTEN growing up, and she bought him a stupidly expensive radio.. he would listen to alastor's voice every day after he came home from school. it was like a celebrity crush. vincent's little crush as he grew up definitely became an obsession.. and when he was a teen, around 14, he would take clippings from the papers and put them in a little book or above his bed.
vincent didn't understand why this obsession never faded; his parents always thought it was just because he was a kid and he would grow out of it. however,
it only got worse with age.