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nyanderenekoWord Count: 1,909
Summary: Nova spends a boring afternoon waiting for a certain someone to return…as monotonous as it is, she doesn’t mind waiting if she’s doing it for him.
*Author’s Note*: HAPPY. H@ZBIN. RELEASE DAY!!!!!! I have been so stoked for this day for like 3 weeks (nothing compared to ppl who have been waiting literal years but I digress) the floodgates of all that building excitement have finally, luckily, been opened. There are a lot of diff ways I could have introduced this ship and I kind of want to get around to writing the other ones, but since there’s technically 2 important “main introductions” (Alastor and Nova’s proper first meeting in Hell and their introduction to the hotel) I decided to…write a slightly more manageable, kind of reflective piece that’s supposed to summarize those events and also gush about emotions because damn do I love this dapper demon way too much. Also for the record I don’t know these characters very well at all, I was hoping that would change today but since this fic was posted just today…I’ll just make whatever adjustments I need to in future fics!
Sometimes, things could be slow around here. Those moments were a welcome reprieve amidst the otherwise constant stream of chaos that characterized the day to day routine of this one of a kind, hard to believe hotel. The esteemed, mildly ostracized princess of Hell had certainly poured her heart and soul (although she was just as devoid of both as anyone else) into the foundation and yet to be determined success of this unusual pet project. The first time Nova heard about it, she couldn’t help but laugh…while the entity she’d pledged her afterlife and loyalty to had been in the process of developing other, more productive plans.
“You look like you’d rather be anywhere but here right now,” Nova mentioned to the bartender as she took a seat at the counter across from him.
“Gee, I wonder why,” he sneered in reply, although his sourness only amused her.
The individual she was conversing with, commonly referred to as Husk, happened to be one of the few denizens of this dismal afterlife that she felt an intrinsic camaraderie with. Not out of any real companionship or even a sense of compatibility between them, but rather the nature of their appearances. Both displayed quite notable feline traits at first glance, although she supposed that was a rather superficial way to establish rapport with someone. He wouldn’t have been happy to hear that she thought about him that way, either…and another aspect of his displeasure could most certainly be attributed to his annoyance and dislike of the man she willingly and inseparably dedicated herself to above all else.
His dismissive, scathing tone didn’t offend her; she’d grown far too accustomed to it, this default disgruntledness of his. She probably would have found it jarring if he’d responded in a more amicable manner, an attitude he couldn’t seem to be bothered with even if he happened to be intoxicated. But she also knew that as disagreeable as he seemed, he didn’t actually mind that much if she stuck around. If he did, he definitely would have done something by now. So she sat down in front of him, laid her arms and head on the empty counter, and lazily examined the equally bare room they were occupying. She admired the unique pattern on Husk’s crimson wings as he absently ruffled them, a detail she’d always appreciated about his appearance. The ambient noise that trickled in from other parts of the building, and perhaps even outside, also seemed much more tame than usual this afternoon.
“So, why did you come here?” the grumpy cat probed, his gaze narrowing as he eyed her and simultaneously took a swig from the bottle in his hand. “I could say the same about you. You look bored out of your mind. Don’t you have more important things to be doing, like stirring up some kind of mass havoc or running a mind numbingly tedious errand?”
“Not today,” she confessed with a sigh, stretching her arms out further in dejection. “He told me to stay put, so that’s what I’m doing.”
“Sounds like a personal problem,” he huffed. “I mean, you’re the one who’s stupid enough to listen to him.”
She shrugged in indifference. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
In all honesty, she probably could have done whatever she wanted and still faced only minimal repercussions. But I don’t mind listening to him. The thought materialized in her mind as she drummed her fingers against the smooth surface they rested upon. Contrary to Husk’s chastisement, she usually found herself quite content to just do as she was told. If that meant she was forced to stay behind while he went about his business, wasting the day away in a bored stupor that she yearned to combat with even the meagerest measure of excitement…well, that was just the outcome she accepted. The temporary monotony was a small price to pay for the reward of his favor, his contentment with her compliance, her reliability.
“Don’t you ever get tired of being his lap dog?”
An interesting choice of words, but she knew there was no sense in refuting them. “If I did, do you think I’d still be here? I mean, I’ve been doing this for decades. If I was going to get tired of it, I would have by now.”
“Maybe you just lack the proper motivation,” he suggested, and she chuckled at his absurd proposition.
“Do you think saying stuff like that is really going to change my mind?”
Husk shrugged. “Everyone has their limits.”
He was speaking the truth, but in that case she hadn’t hit her limit yet…and as far as she could tell, she wasn’t going to for quite some time, if ever. The distinguished demon the two were gossiping about had been the first one to offer her the opportunity to live the way she wanted in this new and intimidating world. Nevermind the fact that she was the one who’d sought him out and subsequently implored him to do so. She’d revered him with wonder and esteem from the moment of their first encounter, and probably even before that, when she’d initially become privy to his existence. He was definitely someone to avoid messing with or upsetting in any capacity, if you knew what was good for you. But he didn’t command her attention and respect with anything as petty or flimsy as fear…no there was another, more foolish influence that steadfastly maintained her devotion to him.
“You’re barking up the wrong tree if you think you can convince me to act against him or something,” Nova challenged, deciding to utilize the analogy for herself.
“Oh, please,” he scoffed. “It’s not a secret that he’s got you on a tight leash. I know I couldn’t say anything to sway you…and I don’t want to. How you waste your time is your business. I only have something to say when you come crawling in here, bothering me because you can’t find anything better to do.”
He could tease and berate her all he wanted, she was happy to face it all as she stayed put, enjoying the company in spite of his abrasive disposition. If she really tried, she supposed she could find something useful to do, some aid she could extend to another employee or patron of the hotel. But where was the fun in that? It wouldn’t be the same without him here, and she wasn’t fully convinced she’d be able to focus in his absence. A dependency that many looked down upon, a partnership that few understood or condoned…but they didn’t need anyone’s permission. And the only permission she ever cared about receiving was his.
He being Alastor, the devious master Nova had aspired to serve ever since she’d come across him. Even after all this time she still couldn’t seem to put her finger on it, whatever it was about him that had enticed her, lured her in by the simple tone of his voice, his persuasive inflection. While most others remained incapable of understanding the unspoken, unwavering bond that had formed between them, she found comfort in the knowledge that it existed at all. Whether by luck or some predetermined path, they had woven themselves into each other’s lives as if it was only natural. Although such an affinity hadn’t necessarily been obvious to either of them at first, in the present neither one of them could fathom living without it.
A demon that’d left a trail of demolished factions and dismantled authorities in his wake, seemingly overnight. His history of carnage, the power he continued to preserve and amass as if he’d been born to do so, was the only introduction anyone needed to know to avoid him at all costs. Escaping the wrath of the radio demon, a colloquial alias that anchored his reputation…Nova should have been wise enough to do the same, and if it was anyone else, she probably would have. But like a naive child, her curiosity sure to lead to her demise, she did everything she could to gain his favor and recognition. Her gamble had paid off far better than even she could have hoped for, but the explanation behind that unexpected outcome remained as daunting and elusive as ever.
She would follow him anywhere, and despite her doubts, he would happily do the same for her. Both of them would admittedly be lost without one another, too accustomed to relying on each other’s presence in a way they were far from proud to confess. Not just for the sake of their dignity, but also danger, knowing the kind of threat such information could pose it if fell into the wrong hands. With all of his enemies, that was a chance Alastor wasn’t willing to take. And with her comparably weak abilities, Nova knew she was far from being in any kind of position to defend herself. So they stuck together, the demon and his shadow, partners in crime that had been taking Hell by storm for years and weren’t keen on stopping any time soon.
“Well now, what do we have here?”
Perking up like an excited puppy, the young woman glanced over her shoulder, eyes falling on the form of the man that’d been occupying her thoughts…yet again.
“Finally. Are you here to pick up your toy?” Husk’s tone was brusque, but the other two were hardly fazed by his delivery or implication.
“I didn’t expect you to be back so soon!” Nova greeted, hopping off her seat and making her way to his side.
“I didn’t expect you to be loitering around here of all places,” Alastor replied, gesturing at their surroundings. “I’m surprised he hasn’t already thrown you out.”
“The repercussions aren’t worth the reward,” the bartender sneered, finishing off the bottle in his hand before snatching up another. “As irritating as she is, I don’t feel like dealing with any nonsense from you today, either.”
A subtle affirmation of the kind of force Alastor was inclined to demonstrate on behalf of his shadow should someone get on her bad side…almost as intimidating as his own, considering both often led to the same harrowing conclusion. “Then you should rest easy knowing we’ll both be out of your hair.”
“Yeah, until the next nightmare ensues,” Husk lamented. “Whatever, it doesn’t matter what happens as long as you keep me out of it.”
The likelihood of that happening was slim, but it wasn’t worth wasting any more time arguing about. He turned his attention back to the pleasant nothingness he would have preferred to have been dwelling on all along, and the remaining two shifted their focus back to one another. Just seeing him here, standing next to him, being with him…in the blink of an eye the form of a black cat, its fur glittering with starlight, took the place of the girl that’d just been standing eagerly by his side. He offered her his arm and she scrambled up to his shoulders, settling herself around them like a fluffy, cozy scarf.
“Feel like telling me what you got up to this afternoon?” she inquired as he turned on his heel and headed into the nearest hallway.
“Only if you think you can handle it,” he taunted, peeking down at her as he widened his distorted, fanged grin.
She snickered eerily in return. “You know there’s nothing I enjoy more than a good horror story.”
Summary: Nova spends a boring afternoon waiting for a certain someone to return…as monotonous as it is, she doesn’t mind waiting if she’s doing it for him.
*Author’s Note*: HAPPY. H@ZBIN. RELEASE DAY!!!!!! I have been so stoked for this day for like 3 weeks (nothing compared to ppl who have been waiting literal years but I digress) the floodgates of all that building excitement have finally, luckily, been opened. There are a lot of diff ways I could have introduced this ship and I kind of want to get around to writing the other ones, but since there’s technically 2 important “main introductions” (Alastor and Nova’s proper first meeting in Hell and their introduction to the hotel) I decided to…write a slightly more manageable, kind of reflective piece that’s supposed to summarize those events and also gush about emotions because damn do I love this dapper demon way too much. Also for the record I don’t know these characters very well at all, I was hoping that would change today but since this fic was posted just today…I’ll just make whatever adjustments I need to in future fics!
_____
Sometimes, things could be slow around here. Those moments were a welcome reprieve amidst the otherwise constant stream of chaos that characterized the day to day routine of this one of a kind, hard to believe hotel. The esteemed, mildly ostracized princess of Hell had certainly poured her heart and soul (although she was just as devoid of both as anyone else) into the foundation and yet to be determined success of this unusual pet project. The first time Nova heard about it, she couldn’t help but laugh…while the entity she’d pledged her afterlife and loyalty to had been in the process of developing other, more productive plans.
“You look like you’d rather be anywhere but here right now,” Nova mentioned to the bartender as she took a seat at the counter across from him.
“Gee, I wonder why,” he sneered in reply, although his sourness only amused her.
The individual she was conversing with, commonly referred to as Husk, happened to be one of the few denizens of this dismal afterlife that she felt an intrinsic camaraderie with. Not out of any real companionship or even a sense of compatibility between them, but rather the nature of their appearances. Both displayed quite notable feline traits at first glance, although she supposed that was a rather superficial way to establish rapport with someone. He wouldn’t have been happy to hear that she thought about him that way, either…and another aspect of his displeasure could most certainly be attributed to his annoyance and dislike of the man she willingly and inseparably dedicated herself to above all else.
His dismissive, scathing tone didn’t offend her; she’d grown far too accustomed to it, this default disgruntledness of his. She probably would have found it jarring if he’d responded in a more amicable manner, an attitude he couldn’t seem to be bothered with even if he happened to be intoxicated. But she also knew that as disagreeable as he seemed, he didn’t actually mind that much if she stuck around. If he did, he definitely would have done something by now. So she sat down in front of him, laid her arms and head on the empty counter, and lazily examined the equally bare room they were occupying. She admired the unique pattern on Husk’s crimson wings as he absently ruffled them, a detail she’d always appreciated about his appearance. The ambient noise that trickled in from other parts of the building, and perhaps even outside, also seemed much more tame than usual this afternoon.
“So, why did you come here?” the grumpy cat probed, his gaze narrowing as he eyed her and simultaneously took a swig from the bottle in his hand. “I could say the same about you. You look bored out of your mind. Don’t you have more important things to be doing, like stirring up some kind of mass havoc or running a mind numbingly tedious errand?”
“Not today,” she confessed with a sigh, stretching her arms out further in dejection. “He told me to stay put, so that’s what I’m doing.”
“Sounds like a personal problem,” he huffed. “I mean, you’re the one who’s stupid enough to listen to him.”
She shrugged in indifference. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
In all honesty, she probably could have done whatever she wanted and still faced only minimal repercussions. But I don’t mind listening to him. The thought materialized in her mind as she drummed her fingers against the smooth surface they rested upon. Contrary to Husk’s chastisement, she usually found herself quite content to just do as she was told. If that meant she was forced to stay behind while he went about his business, wasting the day away in a bored stupor that she yearned to combat with even the meagerest measure of excitement…well, that was just the outcome she accepted. The temporary monotony was a small price to pay for the reward of his favor, his contentment with her compliance, her reliability.
“Don’t you ever get tired of being his lap dog?”
An interesting choice of words, but she knew there was no sense in refuting them. “If I did, do you think I’d still be here? I mean, I’ve been doing this for decades. If I was going to get tired of it, I would have by now.”
“Maybe you just lack the proper motivation,” he suggested, and she chuckled at his absurd proposition.
“Do you think saying stuff like that is really going to change my mind?”
Husk shrugged. “Everyone has their limits.”
He was speaking the truth, but in that case she hadn’t hit her limit yet…and as far as she could tell, she wasn’t going to for quite some time, if ever. The distinguished demon the two were gossiping about had been the first one to offer her the opportunity to live the way she wanted in this new and intimidating world. Nevermind the fact that she was the one who’d sought him out and subsequently implored him to do so. She’d revered him with wonder and esteem from the moment of their first encounter, and probably even before that, when she’d initially become privy to his existence. He was definitely someone to avoid messing with or upsetting in any capacity, if you knew what was good for you. But he didn’t command her attention and respect with anything as petty or flimsy as fear…no there was another, more foolish influence that steadfastly maintained her devotion to him.
“You’re barking up the wrong tree if you think you can convince me to act against him or something,” Nova challenged, deciding to utilize the analogy for herself.
“Oh, please,” he scoffed. “It’s not a secret that he’s got you on a tight leash. I know I couldn’t say anything to sway you…and I don’t want to. How you waste your time is your business. I only have something to say when you come crawling in here, bothering me because you can’t find anything better to do.”
He could tease and berate her all he wanted, she was happy to face it all as she stayed put, enjoying the company in spite of his abrasive disposition. If she really tried, she supposed she could find something useful to do, some aid she could extend to another employee or patron of the hotel. But where was the fun in that? It wouldn’t be the same without him here, and she wasn’t fully convinced she’d be able to focus in his absence. A dependency that many looked down upon, a partnership that few understood or condoned…but they didn’t need anyone’s permission. And the only permission she ever cared about receiving was his.
He being Alastor, the devious master Nova had aspired to serve ever since she’d come across him. Even after all this time she still couldn’t seem to put her finger on it, whatever it was about him that had enticed her, lured her in by the simple tone of his voice, his persuasive inflection. While most others remained incapable of understanding the unspoken, unwavering bond that had formed between them, she found comfort in the knowledge that it existed at all. Whether by luck or some predetermined path, they had woven themselves into each other’s lives as if it was only natural. Although such an affinity hadn’t necessarily been obvious to either of them at first, in the present neither one of them could fathom living without it.
A demon that’d left a trail of demolished factions and dismantled authorities in his wake, seemingly overnight. His history of carnage, the power he continued to preserve and amass as if he’d been born to do so, was the only introduction anyone needed to know to avoid him at all costs. Escaping the wrath of the radio demon, a colloquial alias that anchored his reputation…Nova should have been wise enough to do the same, and if it was anyone else, she probably would have. But like a naive child, her curiosity sure to lead to her demise, she did everything she could to gain his favor and recognition. Her gamble had paid off far better than even she could have hoped for, but the explanation behind that unexpected outcome remained as daunting and elusive as ever.
She would follow him anywhere, and despite her doubts, he would happily do the same for her. Both of them would admittedly be lost without one another, too accustomed to relying on each other’s presence in a way they were far from proud to confess. Not just for the sake of their dignity, but also danger, knowing the kind of threat such information could pose it if fell into the wrong hands. With all of his enemies, that was a chance Alastor wasn’t willing to take. And with her comparably weak abilities, Nova knew she was far from being in any kind of position to defend herself. So they stuck together, the demon and his shadow, partners in crime that had been taking Hell by storm for years and weren’t keen on stopping any time soon.
“Well now, what do we have here?”
Perking up like an excited puppy, the young woman glanced over her shoulder, eyes falling on the form of the man that’d been occupying her thoughts…yet again.
“Finally. Are you here to pick up your toy?” Husk’s tone was brusque, but the other two were hardly fazed by his delivery or implication.
“I didn’t expect you to be back so soon!” Nova greeted, hopping off her seat and making her way to his side.
“I didn’t expect you to be loitering around here of all places,” Alastor replied, gesturing at their surroundings. “I’m surprised he hasn’t already thrown you out.”
“The repercussions aren’t worth the reward,” the bartender sneered, finishing off the bottle in his hand before snatching up another. “As irritating as she is, I don’t feel like dealing with any nonsense from you today, either.”
A subtle affirmation of the kind of force Alastor was inclined to demonstrate on behalf of his shadow should someone get on her bad side…almost as intimidating as his own, considering both often led to the same harrowing conclusion. “Then you should rest easy knowing we’ll both be out of your hair.”
“Yeah, until the next nightmare ensues,” Husk lamented. “Whatever, it doesn’t matter what happens as long as you keep me out of it.”
The likelihood of that happening was slim, but it wasn’t worth wasting any more time arguing about. He turned his attention back to the pleasant nothingness he would have preferred to have been dwelling on all along, and the remaining two shifted their focus back to one another. Just seeing him here, standing next to him, being with him…in the blink of an eye the form of a black cat, its fur glittering with starlight, took the place of the girl that’d just been standing eagerly by his side. He offered her his arm and she scrambled up to his shoulders, settling herself around them like a fluffy, cozy scarf.
“Feel like telling me what you got up to this afternoon?” she inquired as he turned on his heel and headed into the nearest hallway.
“Only if you think you can handle it,” he taunted, peeking down at her as he widened his distorted, fanged grin.
She snickered eerily in return. “You know there’s nothing I enjoy more than a good horror story.”
(no subject)
Date: 2019-10-31 01:51 pm (UTC)I can't believe u wrote this before HH released bc everything is so on point!!
“The repercussions aren’t worth the reward,” the bartender sneered, finishing off the bottle in his hand before snatching up another. “As irritating as she is, I don’t feel like dealing with any nonsense from you today, either.” this is gr8 also.. everyone knows u belong to him lol