#hellcasted

---------------ANSWERED----------------

Oh.....It wasn't everyday that Millie ran into a sinner, if they weren't in the office. Let alone one that smelled so fresh. The poor thing didn't look that old either. She frowned, dropping down to her knees and taking the small bear sinner's hands.

"Well....I don't want to cause much of a shock, but yer in Hell."

how could he begin to explain his reasoning to steven when he could hardly understand it, himself ? it wasn’t that he couldn’t ( or shouldn’t ) date or find love because of his job. it was valentino & that stupid fucking contract that he made. it was the blood on his hands & the scars on his soul. love was as a privilege that he had since lost, again & again & again.

he couldn’t even fathom what would happen if an object of his affections dared return the feelings that he did his best to swallow down like a thick pill that would save him from himself. it simply couldn’t be. he hands steven a can of soda, one of the few things that charlie kept around the hotel, while he sipped from a mystery liquid in a tall glass.

“ that’s a real sweet thought, kid. love, datin’, the whole thing ; it ain’t all bad, for all people. it just — it ain’t for me. i’m a natural flirt, s’all. but it’s cute to see a kid dreamin’ big. ”

The hand of this demon moves gently only when dealing with something precious to her.   In this case, she is very careful as she stitches up the latest of Steven’s wounds.   As per his request, this time she alternates between pink and white thread, creating a color scheme reminiscent of something soft and romantic.   It’s sad, maybe, but at least the patch job looks the way he wants it to look.

She says nothing about his crying, nothing to tell him to stop or that he shouldn’t.   Instead she simply holds him close against her in COMFORT, singing a gentle lullaby to make him feel safe and loved.   Her delicate, ethereal voice surrounds him, almost like a shield that will protect him from further harm.

...This kid was rather naive, wasn’t he? Acting all innocent and friendly to one of the strongest demons in all of Hell...even if he was new here, he must’ve heard of the Radio Demon. Someone who shouldn’t be trusted.

Yet, then again, Steven had claimed to be sent here due to a misunderstanding. Perhaps he really was a better person before he died? Yet, if so...misunderstanding or not, why would he be sent to Hell? You’d think the problem would solve itself and he’d be taken to Heaven--or at least some kind of Purgatory.

But nope. This cheerful, rather young-looking boy was in Hell--face-to-face with the Radio Demon, might I add. He said he wanted redemption? Demons couldn’t be redeemed. I mean, they’re in Hell for a reason! But, Alastor had to admit, this little guy reminded him of Charlie.

The innocent attitude, the hope for positive growth in a place like this...it was almost laughable how similar he and Hell’s own princess were. But, if he truly believed in such a cause...it could be entertaining to watch his belief fall to the ground along with this hotel.

Steven had also mentioned an ‘Angel’--did he mean Angel Dust? One of the other residents at the hotel? The one who never seemed to leave Alastor alone? This kid was friends with someone like him? The deer demon didn’t understand how he could tolerate such a...character.

Angel Dust was...annoying, if nothing else. I mean, he was a demon who was basically addicted to...well, to things that kids didn’t need to be worrying about. He’d be a horrible influence on this kid--and that’s when Al got an idea.

Maybe he’d befriend the boy instead. Not that he was a better influence than Angel--in fact, he was probably worse--but it’d be much more entertaining to watch Steven fail if he began to trust someone like Alastor.

Then, it’d be more than a failed attempt at achieving something good here in Hell--it’d be a full-on betrayal! That kind of stuff was just the best kind of entertainment--reality! Where there’s reality, there’s drama! Turmoil! Suffering! Entertainment! All he’d have to do was play nice. Become this kid’s friend--if you could even call it a friendship.

“Angel? You don’t happen to mean Angel Dust, do you? Because, if so...then I’m afraid you’re friends with the wrong type of guy! Angel’s a bad influence. I, however, would be delighted to be your proper friend here in Hell!”

He gave the kid a smile that seemed as genuine as he could make it--the key word here being seemed.

@hellcasted​ sent :  "Look angel I drew a picture of us!"

:: Oh man... Here it was. The most important moment of his life. His right of passage as a guardian. When he was growing up, he didn’t have the time or effort to show his parents his artwork.... His parents weren’t exactly in the picture very long to begin wit. He was more worried about where his next meal would come from. But, this was crucial. Depending on how he reacted he could fuck up Steven even more than he already was. The bearcub hadn’t exactly had the best relationship with one of his parents in the living world, so it came down to this.