Chapter Text
It was a cold dark night/morning. It was 4am, snow was gently falling down. Vox hadn't slept at all and had just stepped out onto the balcony. Vox had to wear a winter jacket because in hell when it's night, it's like it was a frozen waste land (truely, it was). Vox had stepped out to take a break from work, he sighed, leaning on the frozen railing, his hand Jerked away. The railing was deadly cold. He examined his hand, no real damage was done, he would just have put his hand under some warm water, but he would have to go back inside. Vox sighed and opened the sliding door to the inside. Once he was inside the feeling of dejection came all rushing back, his new room/office was a wreck, papers scattered everywhere, empty bottles lined his desk and bedside table, the trashcan filled to the brim with blood stained napkins and dishes stacked high. He walked past the rubbish as if it wasn't his. He found the bathroom after traveling what felt like sifting through a mountain of debris. He ran warm over his hand till he felt the pain lift. He found some bandages under the sink and wrapped his hand. He gave up on going back outside, he trudged over to his bed and flopped over.
Eeeeeeek
“¿hola, cariño?” Vox turned his head towards the door and the figure in the doorway, the figure walked in more. “Voxxy, come on! You've been moping around since you got your new body!” Val gently said to him
“Ughh go away Val” Vox grumbled into his pillow.
“No! Your leaving this fucking room right now!”he was getting more frustrated the more he tried to talk to Vox. He looked ready to rip his head off again. Vox sat up and dusted himself off (force of habit).
“Okay, Val you win!” he yelled, his sarcasm dripping off his words. He didn't want to fight him; he was too tired from staying up so late.
“See this is why you need to get out!!” Valentino scoffed and just stood there, very impatiently.
“I don't need anything!!!” Vox stood up and got all up into Val’s space trying to assert dominance even though he is 6ft and Val is 7ft.
“cabrón testarudo! This is why you're going to that stupid hotel!” Yelled at him while poking him.
“...”
“Why so silent now? Hmm” Val said teasingly.
“B-but he, Al- I thought- w-whatever I'll go, maybe he’ll finish me off this time!!!” Vox shouted as he shooed Val’s hand away from him as he stormed off to his closet to get something to wear. Currently he was wearing a shirt that said “Sharks make me happy, humans give me headaches” with a cartoon shark on it with a pair of blue checkered patterned boxers and his screen was stained with his tears. He wanted to look nice for Alllllll… the princess? Yeah her, he grabbed his iconic suit and his favorite red bow tie that Alastor gave him when they were friends, not like he cares anymore! He quickly got dressed. Valentino was still in the doorway, a little distracted by Vox’s body but snapped out of it when his gaze landed on Vox’s scars.
“Me too.” Val mubbled, walking off.
___
After the Vees had an angry silent breakfast, Val and Vel dropped Vox off in front of the hotel. He stood there trying to gather his thoughts and knocked on the door when Charlie opened the door to a dishevel appearance of Vox, his was the only thing that looked perfect as usual.
“Hello, Vox! You're earlier than expected but I have briefed everyone on how you are staying here for a while!” she exclaimed but all Vox could think is 'great the Radio Demon and the fucking king of hell know about his depress- no Im no mop!' He was not paying attention at all until Lucifer popped up out of nowhere.
“Haha look at you now TV guy! Just a sad little guy that is being forced to stay at our hotel!” Lucifer just kept nagging him while his daughter told him to stop so she could continue her speech.
“Please dad, we need to open to all people, including Vox!” she was still trying to get her dad to stop, when he showed up, The radio demon.
“Well, your majesty, why are you arguing with your daughter?” Alastor was obviously trying to get him to shut up so he could insult him instead. 'Typical'. “I say this isn't all that high and mighty of you” Alastor responded to the death glare that Lucifer was sending his way. Those were at each other's throats again, but Vox was disassociating, until Lucifer stormed off to his room. Alastor turned his attention to Vox.
“Well, well, well, look at who washed up!” He said most likely to start a fight. Vox was too mentally tired to respond, so they just stood there in awkward silence, until Charlie spoke up.
“Well, uh since you two don't seem to want to kill each other, how about Alastor show you to your room, Vox?” Vox just stood there processing what she said and nodded in response
___
When Alastor and Vox got to Vox’s room. Vox was going to go in with his two bags when Alastor stopped him.
“Why are you actually here?” Alastor questioned him.
Vox sighed “I don't want to do this right now, anyways I thought Charlie I'm a sad nobody?” Vox retorted, wanting this conversation to end.
“You lie about everything! You're the media overlord! So what's the new scheme now? You're depressed, really original” Alastor responded seriously.
“Wait, you really think that ha, I've fallen worse than I thought…” Vox retorts but the last few words sound quieter than he meant. He started to think about what he said and now was embarrassed. Before Alastor could say anything else Vox went into his room and slammed the door in his face. He dropped his bag and walked over to his new bed and just face planted onto his bed. Tears formed and all he could think about was how the Vees left him, he’s at this dumb hotel, he has no powers because everyone hates him and he just looked like a total buffoon in front of Alastor, his cru- enemy, ex- friend. Whatever he is, Vox hates him so much.
___
1pm the next day, someone is knocking on the door and getting very aggressive with it.
“WHAT!?” Vox flings himself up to yell at the door and to whoever wont stop fucking knocking so hard! He hears whispering, definitely two people great.
“Vox you missed breakfast, an activity and lunch, uhm are you okay?” Charlie sounded concerned, oh how embarrassing this is be coming, first The Radio Demon then the Princess Of Hell.
“I have this mush these people call food!” Alastor chimed in. Surprisingly he hasn't knocked down the door to bother Vox.
“I'm not hungry, just let me sleep!” Vox retorted before adding “You took everything sharp I had, so all I can do is sleep” whispered to himself.
CRASH
“OKAY WHAT THE FUCK, NOT COOL!!” Vox screeched at the top of his lungs when Alastor broke down the door.
“Alastor! I told you to not do that!!!” Charlie was very displeased by the destruction of her hotel.
“Well, if you're going to stay here, you must listen to Charlotte!” Alastor said casually while holding a plate of something that looked more palatable, then whatever they usually serve for lunch.
“Mm yeah, what's that, you got there?” Vox inquired, instead of listening to Alastor’s command or the fact he demanded that from him. “Thought you said it was mush?” Vox was getting really confused the more this interaction went on.
“Yes, this is all I could make with those ingredients without killing you!” Alastor chuckled after. If you didn't know him, you would think that it was a genuine laugh, but Vox knew Alastor for 70 or more and were friends for 7ish years. He was putting on a show, why?
“Why make it? You clearly want me out, what is going on, why is he trying to be nice?” Vox shot a cursory look, Alastor met his eyes for a minute. Then Charlie spoke up.
“This is part of your trust exercise with Alastor, you and him will be partners in almost every activity!” she said cheerfully, like it wouldn't end up with a dead resident.
“PARTNERS, EVERY ACTIVITY?!” they both yelled at each other, Vox was louder because Alastor must always be the one in control. Him and his stupid mask, why couldn't Vox have a perfect mask like his.
“Princess, he’d rather die twice than partner with me or do your activities" Vox had slapped his face and grumbled. 'To be frank I would too.'
“Oh, hush you two, come on down, I have an activity already set up!” Before the two could argue, she grabbed them and whisked them away downstairs. When they realized what's happening, they were bickering (mostly Vox). Alastor was just promising the horrors he would do, but still he let himself be dragged along.
___
When they got down to the lobby, there were four little tables set up with art supplies. All but one of the hotel inhabitants were there.
Nifty was paired with Baxter.
Husk and the newly returned Angel.
Vaggi, waiting for Charlie.
Alastor and Vox had red and blue chairs ready for them.
Vox headed straight for the red chair, when Alastor swooped in and took it. Vox stared at him for a moment before going to the blue chair. The chairs were most likely for toddlers, most people opted to sit on the floor because they couldn't fit into the little chairs. Vox picked up a paint brush and some water colors and began painting. After a bit of silence between the two, while everyone else was talking about their drawing. Vox was painting blue and red spirals all over the page and three purple, blue and pink spirals but he started drowning the pink with more red until a hole started forming.
“Ahem?” Alastor gave him a strange look, then looked at his soaking wet paper.
“What, it's just some colors… maybe I got a little messy… ha…” Vox said while getting up to grab more paper towels to wipe off the table and himself, when he saw Lucifer on the floor, his arm twisted. Vox couldn't help but start laughing at the sight, the ‘all mighty king’ laying on the ground groaning in pain. A true bit of happiness, something he hasn't had since he tried to blow up the entire ring of pride. Charlie came over to see what the commotion was.
She gasped and helped Lucifer up “Dad, what happened?” She put his arm on her shoulder to support him.
“Red guy, just beat me up for walking over!” he yelled accusingly while pointing to Alastor.
“Well, I knew you were only coming over to stir up trouble” he responded while cleaning up Vox’s mess with paper towels that he just summoned.
“Dad! No! Do not pick fights with Alastor or Vox!” Charlie scolded her father as she brought him over to the reception desk to grab the med kit.
Vox turned to Alastor with a tiny smile “pff y-you beat up the king of hell; he looked so stupid ha!” he said trying to not burst out laughing. Alastor's eyes flashed a bit of confusion, but Vox brushed it off. Vox walked over to the table and grabbed some paper towels to continue to clean up his mess. “You don't have to clean my mess up, I got it” he said, slightly pushing Alastor’s hands away to clean up everything. “Just paint something, I'm done with the paints anyway” Vox said as he grabbed all the wet paper towels to throw them away.
___
Vox had almost made it to the stairs before being stopped by Lucifer. He tried to get up into Vox’s face, but he was too short.
“I know what you two are doing,” Lucifer said in an accusatory tone, jabbing his finger into Vox’s chest. Vox just shot him a look of utter confusion.
“I'm being serous when I say this, I have no fucking idea what you are talking about” he said as he started blankly at Lucifer. Lucifer started back with a conflicted look, he looked like he was buffering when in the corner of Vox’s eye, a shadow proofed and there was Alastor. He walked over to the two.
“Now your majesty, I must interrupt this conversation to talk one on one with Vox, now buh-bye!” he shooed Lucifer away. “Now, it's about 3pm and I haven't seen you eat once!” That's when he noticed the plate of food in Alastor’s hands. He had a plate of his famous stuffed shrimp, Vox was drooling at the thought. Vox looked at Alastor with an expectant look as he eye balled him and the plate of shrimp.
Vox was trying not to drool while talking “Mm yea… no I haven't… can I-”
“Yes, I made enough for both of us” Alastor cut Vox off while handing him a plate. “Here, sit” he snapped his hands, and a table appeared, it was the table in his room with the little chair.
“But we're literally-” he was cut off by being teleported to Alastor’s room, which was just a giant swamp, half of the room was normal but the farther you went the more swampy it got. “Alastor… is this a swamp?...” He asked just double checking, so he could leave before he could be eaten by whatever lived here.
“It's a bayou, not a swamp,” he responded, looking at Vox like he was an idiot for not knowing the difference between a swamp and bayou, even though they are the same.
“Yes, a bayou… could I?” Vox didn't want to racist (even though he very much is), so he just changed the subject back to the stuffed shrimp sitting beautifully on the plate. Vox was so hungry that his stomach was hurting from not eating anything in a while.
“Ah, ah, ah, manners and you need utensils!” he explained. Vox was going to just grab them and eat, when a fork and a napkin bib appeared. Vox was going to complain when he felt the grumble of his stomach and just started eating, making sure he evenly split the shrimp so Alastor could have some.
He tried to swallow before talking but there was still some food, “Gosh, I haven't had a meal like this since…” he swallowed “I think 70 or so years, hell, Alastor, nothing compares to your food” he continued to eat, he didn't notice Alastor’s face shift a bit at the compliment.