Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It had all started when Lucifer and Alastor were having their typical arguments of who was superior, and the topic of baking came up.

“At least, I can make something good!” Lucifer shouted exasperatedly, wearing an apron covered in flour while aggressively rolling pie dough. He gestured his rolling pin at a snarling Alastor. “The best you can do is put raw meat on a plate and call it a cake!”

“I’ll have you know that I can make far better pastries than your pathetic attempt at an apple pie!” Alastor snapped with his ears pinned back in pure indignation. His own apron was free of any flour, but was covered in blue paint due to Lucifer’s most recent magical prank. He kneaded the dough in his bowl like he wanted to murder it. With his back turned to everyone else, his red and black tail could be seen clear as day, the white underside visible from the deer unconsciously raising it in his anger. 

The other members of the Hazbin Hotel were watching in amusement at the verbal back and forth between the King of Hell and the Radio Demon. Charlie had wanted to do a team building exercise by having everyone cook a meal together. Quickly, Lucifer and Alastor took over the entire kitchen in a petty competition of who could make the best three course meal. Instead of trying to separate the two bickering demons, Charlie was too busy staring at Alastor’s wagging tail. Recently, the red-haired man had revealed that he had more deer features than they thought. He had started walking around the hotel without his coat or shoes while leaving the others with their jaws on the floor. After the first instance of seeing Alastor’s hooves, the group all gathered to Husk’s bar. She cackled at their ridiculous questions about the additional features the stag demon had. To answer why the ever conservative Alastor was prancing around with his dainty hooves and small tail, the cat simply patted her heavily pregnant belly. 

“The little shits are gonna be due in a couple weeks, so we’ve been buyin’ lots of clothes for ‘em. But it turns out that the twins are gonna have hooves, so shoes aren’t gonna be needed. I told Al that he’d better not make them wear shoes ‘cause I know how uncomfortable he is when he wears that shit. The twins and him shouldn’t have to hide or be embarrassed by that, and I think Al is takin’ the time now to get comfortable in his own skin before they’re born. I’m actually pretty fucking glad he’s finally gotten over himself. Walkin’ in shoes when ya don’t have heels ain’t fun, and his tail was always squished under that damn coat. Don’t say shit about the wagging. He doesn’t know how much he does it, and he’d stop if he did. Got it?”

Needless to say, no one commented on any adorable deer wags or the clip-clop of hooves. Even Lucifer, Angel Dust, and Adam kept their mouths shut. 

This softer side of Alastor was new for the original members of the hotel, but they were not going to make him stop. It was sweet to see the deer going out of his comfort zone, so his children would not be ashamed of their forms like Alastor apparently was. Not only was it good for Alastor to let down his perfect facade, it was good for everyone else who got a show of his little angry tail wags when arguing with Lucifer or the happy wags when he was near Husk.

The others were all sat at the table, more than entertained by Alastor and Lucifer’s competitiveness. Angel Dust was discreetly taking a video of the two demons while Vaggie held her hand against her mouth to hide her smile. At the furthest end of the table, Adam had his legs kicked up on the surface while lazily watching the exchange. Over the past few months of the new sinner’s stay, Adam had become less argumentative with the group. He was treated like the annoying uncle everyone had to deal with but could not kick out. With the combined efforts of Lucifer’s vengeful wrath, Vaggie’s angelic spear, Angel Dust’s machine gun, Alastor’s reinforced staff and shadows, Husk’s deadly cards, and Charlie’s hidden threats of death if he tried to hurt anyone, Adam had ‘settled down’. He made his displeasure for being a demon known every day, but he had stopped getting into bloody fights with Vaggie and Lucifer. The ladder now making Adam blush with his teasing or often suggestive remarks. There was something brewing between the former archangel and angel the calmer Adam became. Of course, Adam was still an asshole, but he had become far more bearable in recent days.

A large contributing factor of his improved attitude was from many late-night talks with Lucifer and Husk at the bar.

With the twins constantly kicking her and the worsening of her morning sickness, Husk’s nerves were shot at the end of the night. She was used to drinking or smoking when she was overwhelmed or stressed, but she could not use her default forms of relaxing because of the twins. Her only hobby that did not harm their growing children was mixology. Her love of magic tricks required effort and an audience, but her mood at the end of the day was so foul that she needed to be alone. So to the bar she went. Obviously, Alastor’s clinginess made him want to stay with her, but she remained firm in her need for solitude. It was difficult for Alastor to leave his heavily pregnant wife alone, almost impossible. She fortunately allowed him to use his shadow to watch her in silent support as a way to compromise.

As she mixed an assortment of drinks or tested new recipes, her mind calmed and her mood improved. However, Adam would be attracted to the array of different drinks like a moth to a flame. His secret moping around the lobby changed to him moping at the bar. At first, Husk wanted to kick him out, but she then realized that Adam was there to clear his head just like she was. He was also a great taste tester and gave Husk an excuse to make more drinks now that someone would be drinking them since booze was temporarily off limits for Husk. During one of these nights, Lucifer wandered in with the same broodiness that Adam adopted at the bar. Eventually, it became a nightly routine that Husk would mix drinks while Adam and Lucifer talked about their woes. Alastor had been incredibly jealous, but he was quickly soothed when Husk reminded him that she could not see Alastor because the painful kicks, horrid nausea, and uncomfortable false-contractions the twins gave her daily made her want to chop his ‘fucking dick off’. She needed to decompress after each stressful day and refused to have her husband be a victim of her violent impulses.

It was something that came with demonic pregnancies: mood swings that made the mother want to kill the father instead of mood swings that made the mother cry at a tiny squirrel or something in that regard. Her murderous mood swings were caused by a mixture of the Sins all demons dealt with. The Seven Deadly Sins would manifest in someway for each sinner. Usually, the Sin they had committed the most in life would plague them in death. Alastor was plagued by Gluttony, causing his sinner form to be in a near constant state of hunger. Husk was plagued by Sloth, causing her to struggle with the things she wanted to do the most because she was too exhausted to even stand. Hellborns did not suffer from this type of punishment, but they did experience the Sins in other ways. One example was in pregnancies. The hormones of a pregnant demon were more akin to an ingredient for a deadly potion than anything natural. Anything related to Hell was not meant to be nice nor gentle, so an expecting mother would feel a mixture of all Seven Deadly Sins throughout their pregnancy. A mixture of Wrath, Envy, Pride, and Greed would cause the mother to feel uncontrollable bouts of anger and the need to mutilate their partner. For Husk, these episodes happened nightly. It made her feel Wrathful that Alastor made her experience such terrible symptoms. It made her feel Envious that Alastor could not share the discomfort, nausea, and cramps with her. It made her want to prove that she can deal with her pregnancy on her own out of Pride. It made her want to kill Alastor just because his Greedy hands tried to touch her stomach. Gluttony was self explanatory as the the mother would be ravenous and have cravings for the most hellish of meals. Husk’s most common cravings was raw meat and blood that Alastor had in spades within his cursed ‘Pantry’. Sweets were another craving she usually had, but there was always a twist to them that made Alastor’s culinary mind break. Sloth was something she was familiar with. In her pregnancy, the sloth was much much stronger. There were even times where she could barely breathe or eat from how exhausted she would feel.

Lust was the least like a punishment. It would be bothersome to need to stop what she was doing and demand that Alastor fuck her brains out, but it was not something she would ever complain about. Nor Alastor. She knew her poor, dumb deer was embarrassed by how easily he got turned on. The animalistic side of their brains was mainly responsible for Alastor’s horniness. She explained it to him through laughter after Alastor became rock hard again seconds after orgasming. She also teased him about Alastor’s clear kink for seeing her ‘bred’, which he was positively baffled by. Alastor had no clue what a kink was after the decades of being in Hell and the months of being around Angel Dust. It was almost endearing to see Alastor cock his head like a puppy when Husk asked him if he had kinks. Alastor was a genius in many things, but an idiot in others. Intimacy was something the stag demon was hopeless at and needed Husk’s guidance to understand. It had been the same way when they were humans, and Husk had to talk to a very embarrassed Alastor that it was alright to rarely feel arousal and not want sex. The asexuality spectrum was not a term that existed in his time, so Alastor always thought that there was something wrong with him for never sharing the interests his coworkers had in one-night stands or relationships. Alastor could be surprisingly dense at times, but Husk loved that about him. He was not as much of an evil mastermind as most demons would think. It was hilarious to her to see how confused Alastor was, but she did not tease him about it.

Well, maybe a little bit. 

As fun as the Lust was, Husk was too far into her pregnancy to enjoy it without serious back aches and false contractions. She was currently twenty-nine weeks pregnant and felt like a beached whale. Most of her symptoms of the Sins had disappeared besides the cravings and the murderous impulses. Husk wanted the twins to come out already so she can stop feeling their hooves kick her stomach like a soccer ball and enjoy standing for more than two seconds. Throughout it all, Alastor had been as doting as he always was. The feral instincts of a stag in rut still plagued Alastor, but he had his hand to take care of himself. Though, if Husk was in a particularly energetic mood, which had gotten rarer as the weeks progressed, she would pleasure him with either her velvety paw pads or sandpapery tongue. In recent days, Alastor was hesitant to let Husk help with his irritating libido, so the cat settled for sleepily watching Alastor as he masterbated. Husk appreciated the break immensely. She had adored it, the sex had truly been incredible, but she was now too exhausted to do anything more strenuous than walking. Much less fly. Her stomach was far too large to even think of lifting off the ground. She missed flying more than she thought she would. Fortunately, Alastor was there to massage and rotate her wing joints or preen any messy feathers. It was rare to see Husk without Alastor glued by her side to help her with anything. For most of the day, Husk didn’t mind, but she most certainly did at night. 

After an entire morning and afternoon with Alastor attached to her like a damn velcro strap, she needed the night to decompress before her irrational need to kill him took over.

Being around Lucifer and Adam did not manifest any murderous desires, so Husk allowed them to ‘bitch to the bartender’ as she liked to say. It helped calm her shot nerves to hear their soft words of regret and grief. She would sit down as she made them drinks and listened to their stories. Most of the time, she did not say a word as Adam and Lucifer would talk to each other about their issues. What many people needed the most was someone to listen rather than talk to, and Husk was happy to provide an ear. If things escalated to the point of shouting, she would kick them out of the bar immediately. For once, the eccentric archangel and brash fallen angel would finally use their ‘inside voice’. Neither of them would dare to incur the wrath of a very grouchy Husk and the watchful eyes of the shadow that belonged to her murderous husband. So they talked. Husk listened. They drank. Husk made more drinks. They talked some more. Husk listened some more. And eventually the three would retire to bed. 

There were many things Husk learned about Lucifer and Adam from their nightly talks. As it turned out, Lucifer and Adam had known each other just as well as Lucifer knew Lilith. It had been Lucifer’s job to inspire his fellow angels of Heaven, but he wanted to do more than that. At heart, Lucifer was a dreamer through and through. This need for something new and want to make changes caused Lucifer to be a rebellious spirit. Even though it was not in his jurisdiction, he would sneak into the Garden of Eden frequently and talk with Adam and Lilith. At the start, both humans were wide-eyed at everything and wanted to learn more about the world they lived in. They would watch in awe as Lucifer shape-shifted himself into the animals inhabiting the Garden and create music more enchanting than an angelic choir, the only form of music they had back then. Quickly, Adam adopted Lucifer’s love of adventure while Lilith adopted Lucifer’s want for change. The three had been close, much closer than Lucifer was with his own brothers. Eventually, Lucifer had been caught and punished harshly. After months of not seeing them, Lucifer managed to escape and return to the Garden, only to see two completely different humans. Adam was no longer the adventurous and energetic man while Lilith was no longer the soft spoken and curious woman Lucifer had come to know. Adam was now controlling and narcissistic, acting far too similar to the older Seraphim that looked down upon Lucifer’s antics. Lilith was much more opinionated and with a fire in her eyes that shown as brightly as the stars Lucifer sang by. The rift between them could not be mended. In an act of defiance at what Heaven had done to his only friends, he planned a rebellion against the oppressive ways of the angels. Lilith aided him and his need for revenge complimented her resentment of Adam and God. They convinced a naive Eve to eat from the Forbidden Fruit, giving humanity free will so they could never be controlled by Heaven ever again. As a result, Lucifer and Lilith were cast down in a fiery pit that would later be known as Hell. 

Lucifer held a deep seated guilt towards his decision to give humans free will. Every terrible thing that happened on Earth connected back to him, it was his fault.  Lucifer admitted this after learning about Crymini, their youngest resident, and her abusive parents that drove her to commit suicide at the tender age of sixteen. He had gone quiet for the rest of the therapy group session and retreated to his quarters the second it ended. The withdrawn teenager had been stared at by Adam as well before Husk made everyone leave the room. Crymini was far too young to be down in Hell and was the most obvious sign to Heaven’s corruption. Like many of the other guests to the Hazbin Hotel, Husk had adopted her as one of her own. At this point, the feline had four daughters in Niffty, Charlie, Vaggie, and Crymini and a son in Angel Dust with a brother in Lucifer and a very irritating nephew in Adam. Before his sacrifice, Pentious had fallen into the category of irritatingly endearing nephew. Now, there would be two extra additions in the twins. While she knew that most of the sinners and demons she cared for had fallen before her, she felt older than all of them. None of them died as old as she had and Lucifer and Adam still acted like inexperienced boys at times. All of them were kids to her in some capacity, which Alastor did not understand. However, the Radio Demon loved his wife too much to hurt those she had deemed hers. Many did not know that Husk could be just as possessive as Alastor was, a fact that amused the deer. And perhaps aroused him when the possessiveness was aimed at him. In short, Husk cared far more than her crass exterior would have one belief.

It was why Lucifer had confided in her about his guilt about humanity after hearing Crymini’s whispered story. However, Lucifer had allowed the alcohol to affect him and was tipsy enough that he forgot Adam was next to him, hearing every word. As Lucifer spoke about the agonizing guilt he felt that the only reason that humans suffered was because he gave them the free will to do so, Adam’s eyes became darker and darker. Being stripped of everything that made him who he was made the narcissistic mask that Adam had been convinced was his own face be brutally torn away. He could no longer brag about himself because he has nothing to brag about. He could no longer speak about how superior he was to everyone else because he was literally at the bottom of the world. He could no longer say that he was good and holy because he had become a sinner demon with leathery wings and a tail. In other words, Adam had listened to Lucifer. The empathy that had only been aimed at himself for thousands of years had been aimed towards Lucifer. As Lucifer began to spiral as his depressive thoughts of failure and regret consumed him, Adam blurted out an apology so unexpected that both Lucifer and Husk were left speechless. 

“I’m sorry. I…I’m sorry. I’m just sorry. I don’t know what else to fucking say…But I don’t think it was all your fault, dude. Mankind was based off of me in the end. Their will and decisions were a reflection of my own…And look what good that did…I was always told when I was sent up to Heaven that humanity was good and any souls that were sent to Hell was purely because of you, the most hated being in all of creation…They never fucking said anything about what shit you had to do to get into Heaven. They just said they had to be ‘good’ and that was fucking it. No one ever told me about all the shit they did. I never saw what went down on Earth. How messy it actually was. Sera always told me that everything was perfect and that Lucifer was the one dragging souls to Hell. Looking at you now, I can see that all that was a fucking lie. You didn’t do shit to anyone. But I did…I did something wrong. And now I’m here and I know that Sera isn’t going to take me back. She needs Heaven to be the image of perfection, and I don’t fit that fucking look anymore…I don’t think I ever have…”

Husk had been quick to remind both of them that humanity’s downfalls wasn’t their fault. She took away both of their drinks and replaced them with a steaming cup of hot chocolate. It was a recipe that Alastor’s mother had taught her how to make after she had a hard day. While she was not the best at comforting, Husk used her typical gruff logic to tell them that they were not responsible for every little misdeed that a human does. It was in the name, free will meant the freedom to do whatever one desired. Both Adam and Lucifer had looked at her like she was the greatest philosopher after saying that. 

Something changed in Adam from that night. He became far more bearable to be around and his comments were longer meant to hurt, just light teasing. He was improving. Still an asshole, but an improving one. There were things that no one would forgive him for. However, that did not mean that they would not allow Adam to be in their afterlives. 

It was a much needed change.

Without his exorcist angels to praise him or his angelic power to abuse, Adam was now a fallen, washed-up loser. Without his wife to help him with their kingdom and his own issues or the love of the angelic family he once had, Lucifer was a depressed, isolated loser. 

And Husk had a penchant for collecting losers.

“Psst, Husk?” Adam whispered loudly into her ear. 

“What?” The feline murmured, distracted by the crown of bugs Niffty was weaving around her head. Her own feathers were placed into the crown after Niffty carefully preened all the loose ones earlier. 

“Can Red actually bake?” 

“Yup. He’s probably the best baker in Hell, considerin’ how shit this place’s ingredients are.” 

“Hey!” Lucifer gasped in disbelief, a hand to his chest as if he’d been struck. “You’re supposed to be on my side!” 

“Sorry, Lu. Once you try Al’s cookin’, there’s no goin’ back.”

“And my baking is even better!” Alastor added cheekily, puffing his chest out in pride at his wife’s compliment. He gestured at the dough he was making with a sharp claw. “See this, Lucifer? This is what perfection looks like! I take it you don’t even know what it is.”

“It looks like a blob of crap!”

“How dare you! The art of making beignets is one that requires patience and dedication! It’s no dessert for a simpleton like you! My mother passed down this recipe to me, and she was the most prestigious culinary master of her time!” 

“The fuck’s a beignet-” Angel Dust’s question was interrupted by a groan of want from Husk.

She placed a paw on her cheek as she remembered the delicious food Alastor’s mother cooked. “Fuck. I miss your mom’s cooking, Al. She made the best stuff.”

Alastor nodded fervently. “Yes, indeedy! There was nothing better than coming home to Maman’s cooking and desserts! You had quite the sweet tooth back then!”

“Shut up. All kids like sugar, and you did to! Your Ma always said that you were a chipmunk that stole beignets instead of acorns!”

“Well, I just have good taste!”

“Sure.” Husk snickered at the pout on her husband’s face. She went to turn towards the others to tell a story about Alastor being a thief for his mother’s food when she noticed everyone staring at her. Even Lucifer had dropped his rolling pin in shock. The members of the Hazbin gawked at her and Alastor for what felt like hours. Only Niffty remained unaffected by her words. The feline quirked a feathered brow. “What?”

Charlie breathed in deeply to not shift into her demonic form in her excitement. “Husk. You knew Alastor when you were alive?!”

“Yeah?”

“Oh, yes! Husker and I go way back! We met as children when-”

“WHAT?!”

.

.

.

.

.

After enduring wave after wave of pleas and questions from the group, Husk and Alastor agreed to tell them how they met, but nothing more. They had decided to move dinner into the couple’s room and were all sat around the bed Alastor had enlarged. Husk needed the extra pillows and blankets to remain comfortable if she were to tell such a long story. Everyone had changed into their pajamas, waiting with bated breath. 

Plucking a steaming beignet from the plate Alastor had placed in the middle of the bed, Husk chewed the fried dough and licked all the powdered sugar from her claws. It did not taste the same as it did in the human world, but it was close enough. Once Husk swallowed the delicious treat, she leaned back onto the nest of pillows with Alastor acting as her living mattress. She looked at all the people she had had grown to care for. Niffty was curled up beside Husk’s wings, eagerly waiting to hear additional details to the story she already knew. Charlie and Vaggie were wearing matching unicorn pajamas at the princess’s insistence while holding each other’s hands in equal anticipation. Angel Dust was clad in a pink shirts and loose white shorts with his pet Fat Nuggets in his lap, his golden tooth on display from how wide he was grinning. Adam was dressed in sweatpants and an old white tank top, his leathery wings flapping slightly due to his eagerness. Beside Adam, an excited Lucifer was squeezing a rubber duck like a stress ball and wearing a pajama set with apples and ducks placed throughout. 

Everyone had come a long way since the hotel first opened. Husk was even become the slightest bit fond of Adam. 

What a strange little family they had created.

Alastor kissed her temple. With her on his lap, she could feel his rapid heartbeat. He was just as thrilled to share their first meeting and a bit anxious. He placed his hand on top of the paw she had on her large baby bump, feeling one of the twins kick at their father’s touch. The stag demon chuckled quietly before kissing his wife once again. “Shall I start, my love?” 

“Yup. You’re the one that came runnin’ in headfirst.”

“Hah! I did, didn’t I?

.

.

.

.

.

.

Alastor was having a terrible day. The worst day even. It sucked! So bad that Alastor wanted to scowl and pout. His Mama told him to smile, but he didn’t care!

Another empty hook.

“DAMMIT!” Alastor threw his muddy net onto the grass and stomped his muddy feet. His mother would hate that he had swore, but he could not help himself. He had been trying to catch fish in the bayou near his house for an hour and has ended up with nothing but mud all over his body. Despite being a young boy, Alastor hated getting dirty almost as much as he hated getting wet. Because being dirty meant he had to take a bath and Alastor hated baths so much because they were scary and they hurt and he couldn’t bre-

“…in my flying machine…like a bird on a…”

Instantly, Alastor’s neck snapped to the distant voice. He had never heard such a voice before. Who did it belong to? Mama’s voice was smooth and comforting, but this voice sounded scratchy and…sad. That wouldn’t do!

The boy collected his things with the coordination expected of a nine-year-old. He wiped his hands on his dirty shorts and put on a round pair of glasses too large for his face. His mother would surely understand why he could not bring back any fish, she always did. Perhaps she would make her beignets tonight if Alastor told her about cheering up the sad person! He would put a smile on their face! That was the only reason for running off from his morning chore! It wasn’t because Alastor thought the voice and song were really really pretty! Nope! Not at all! 

Eventually, the voice led him into an area of the bayou Alastor had not explored yet. It was a forested area with plenty of dry land and a small river flowing through beside it. Hiding himself behind a tree, Alastor risked a peak to see who was singing so sadly. 

Pretty.

That had been his first thought when he saw the who the voice belonged to. It was a girl wearing a poofy dress that was torn in several places and looked like it belonged to the costumes of the actresses Alastor had seen in a poster for a show. As he looked closer, he noticed that the girl had a black eye and a bright red mark on her cheek that was in the shape of a hand. Her hair looked like it had been pulled and yanked at, and her face held traces of smeared face paint. It had been mostly washed off, but Alastor could see remnants of white and black makeup on her cheeks and under her eyes. She was obviously having an even worse day than Alastor, something that made the boy want to run over and talk to her. He normally would have done so by now, but the song she had been singing started again. 

“Come Josephine in my flying machine. Going up she goes, up she goes.” Her voice was hoarse, almost sounding like it was painful for her to speak. By the way she winced, it likely was. Even so, the girl ignored the fiery pain in her throat to continue the song she had failed to sing today. “Balance yourself like a bird on a beam. In the air she goes, there she goes. Up, up a little higher…a little higher…a little bit higher…”

Tears began to fill her hazel eyes as she repeated the same phrase over and over again. The girl was looking longingly into the sky with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. On shaky legs, she stood up and began to dance in an overly rehearsed manner with a fake smile on her face. She lifted her arms in a pirouette but did not turn.

Her voice grew increasingly shaky as she returned to the original lyrics. “Oh, my, the moon is on fire! Come Josephine in my Flying Machine. Going up all on, goodbye…” Her arms dropped to hold her throat. The girl sniffled from the pain and the fear she felt as her voice continued to worsen. She hated singing so much, but she had to if she wanted to eat and have clothes on her back. That’s what her parents always told her. They had a good ‘gig’ now, and they needed her to not ‘mess it up’. She wasn’t sure what they meant, but the warning in their tone was enough for her to know that it was important. Her main job was supposed to be to perform her dance routine and then her song. That was it. Her Pa said it would be easy, but it wasn’t! It hurt and her voice had been hurting for months! She didn’t want to sing anymore. She hated it!

Small hands balled into fists. Alastor watched in awe as a fierce scowl formed on the girl’s once saddened face. 

Rips sounded as the girl ripped apart the frilly sleeves of her costume and took off the many skirts. She was eventually left in the linen dress that went underneath most female costumes. She kicked off her shoes, which had had dumb bells placed on the top. Her character was supposed to be a mixture of a princess and a gesture, and she was hated it. She hated everything with the fury that an eight-year-old could muster.

The girl started a new song with much more interesting lyrics. “Come Josephine in this stupid machine! Going up she goes, up she goes! Balance yourself like a bird on a beam which is so dumb! Balance on your thumb! But oh! In the air she goes, there she goes! Up, up a little bit higher! To your heart’s desire! The moon is on fire but go up, up! In the sky as free as a bird! Go Josephine! Escape the machine and go up, up and away in space! Higher and higher! Dance in the fire! The moon is smiling, keep on dancing! Don’t stop Josephine! Don’t go! Keep going, higher and higher, without the machine…you’re free…like me…” Her lyrics halted. Her song was one about doing what you wanted and not caring about what anyone else had to say, Alastor loved it. It was the greatest song he had ever heard!

Alastor had to hear more! 

“Why did you stop?!” The boy burst from his hiding place without hesitation.

“WHAT IN THE-” Seemingly jumping several feet in the air, the girl whipped her head to the mud-covered boy who had been listening this entire time. “Who are you?!”

“Oh, shoot, I forgot to do that, didn’t I?” Alastor stuck out a hand and gave the startled girl his best smile. “I’m Alastor! It’s nice to meet you!”

She warily took his hand and gave it a single shake. “Uh. My name is Nicolette. Kinda dumb, but whatever. Why the heck were you-”

“It’s not dumb! I thinks it’s pretty! And your voice is too! Uhm…that’s why I followed it. I heard it when I was fishing, and uh…” An unusual sheepishness made Alastor falter. It wasn’t very polite to watch people without them knowing. That’s why Mama had said when she scolded him for watching Mrs. and Mr. Summers because he thought their arguments about fruits were funny. His Mama always told him to be polite to those of ‘fairer means’. He didn’t know what that meant, so Mama explained that people of fairer means were people who could not defend themselves, that it would not be fair to treat them poorly. His Mama wanted Alastor to be a gentleman as well, so she encouraged him to be on his best behavior with girls. 

But Nicolette didn’t seem like she could not defend herself. 

She looked like she was about to punch him for intruding on her. Her glare was as fierce as her scowl. The fact that she was bruised and hurt yet still standing was proof of her strength.

Alastor liked her already. 

“Oh! I have an idea! I can take you to my Mama’s house, and you can show her your song! My mama is the smartest person ever, so she’ll prove to you that you’re not dumb!” The boy announced with a proud huff. He reached out his hand again. His voice was more gentle. “I’m sorry for spooking you. That wasn’t really nice, but I promise I’ll make up for it! And my Mama can make you a new dress or make some beignets so you feel better!”

As he spoke, Nicolette continued to stare at him as if he had grown a second head. No one had ever treated her with such generosity nor had someone been so eager to hear her sing. In truth, Nicolette was exhausted and her throat hurt, being able to have a warm meal and new clothes sounded great. Her Ma always told her to never trust anyone, but she did not care in this moment. Nicolette would rather risk her life with this strange boy than spend another second in rehearsals. 

“Okay…” Nicolette whispered hoarsely. She played her cold hand in Alastor’s warm on. “Lead the way, Alastor.”

“With pleasure, Nicolette!”

.

.

.

Nicolette liked Alastor and his mother. 

Alastor was the weirdest but funniest person she had ever met while Adelaide, his mother, was the kindest. She could not remember a time where she felt so care free. For hours, Nicolette and Alastor had played in his mother’s garden, ate her delicious gumbo, read the storybooks Alastor collected, and so much more that Nicolette lost track. Like Alastor had promised, his mother had given her spare clothes that were soft instead of the scratchy linen she was used to. She had thought that there would be a price to the handmade gift, but there was none.

The moment that Alastor’s mother had seen her mischievous son bring in a thin girl who clearly needed a warm meal and several hugs, Nicolette was welcomed with open arms. The older woman scolded Alastor for his nosiness and spying, but it was a half hearted lecture. She was relieved that Alastor had brought the girl to him when he did. While he did not know it, Alastor had saved his new friend from a nasty infection. When Adelaide had helped wash the face paint from Nicolette’s face and change into new clothes, the woman saw a deep gash in her thigh. The girl was puzzled by the wound and barely reacted when Adelaide disinfected it. Both Alastor and Nicolette were dirty from the forest, but the poor girl was the one with open wounds. Additionally, there was something clearly wrong with her throat. Speaking above a whisper seemed to cause the girl great pain. Her instincts as a mother made her want to stomp over to her parents and given them a piece of their mind for leaving their daughter in such a state. It was their fault for the damage done to their daughter’s throat. Adelaide felt her heart break when she heard about the constant shows the girl had to do for her parents. Whether it was something on the street or the stage, Nicolette was treated like a show pony that was only for bringing in money. They likely never had the girl learn proper techniques to avoid vocal damage and never allowed any breaks. For someone so young, it pained Adelaide to see the permanent damage done to Nicolette’s vocal cords. Her voice would improve with time, but it would never regain its original quality. Alastor, bless his little heart, would not stop talking about how lovely Nicolette’s voice was. It was surprising since her son was notorious for critiquing all singers, except his mother, harshly. Alastor would definitely grow up to be a music snob with how picky he was with what music he liked. 

“The trumpet sucks, Mama!” 

“Now, mon fils, that is no way to speak about someone’s work.” Adelaide admonished for the thousandth time. She adored her precious boy, but his cheeky mouth would get him into trouble someday! The sizzling of oil was heard as she dropped a square of dough into a pot. With a skilled hand, she flipped the square to cook on the other side. After a few minutes she took out the piping hot beignet and added it to the growing pile. Stealing a glance to the two children on the table, she chuckled at the impatient kicking from Alastor and the curious gaze of Nicolette.  

“Letts, what do you think of the trumpet?!” The boy asked loudly. Adelaide was slightly surprised by the sudden nickname as she had never seen Alastor do such a thing before. He normally called people by their full name, even Miss Summers who had known him since he could walk. 

Apparently, Nicolette was caught off guard as well. “Letts?”

“Yeah! Short for Nicolette! I’m a genius, I know!”

“Sure you are…Lastor?”

“That one sucks, pick another one!”

“What?! That one is fine!”

“Well, I don’t like it!”

“Ugh, fine! How about blabbermouth?!”

“Hey! That’s not my name!”

“Yes, it is!”

“Nuh-uh!”

“Yeah-huh!”

“Children. Settle down or no dessert for either of you.”

“Yes, Mama.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Nicolette placed a hand on her chin in thought. The white of the bandage on her cheek and the wrapping around her black eye contrasted with her hand. Adelaide had done an excellent job at treating the girl’s wounds and had given her a mug of her best hot chocolate for her throat. The girl’s curls bounced when she straightened from her chair suddenly as an idea popped into her head. She looked back at the pouting boy beside her. “What about Allie?” 

“Oh! I like that one!” Alastor nodded fervently, causing his glasses to jostle from his face and onto the table. They were the few glasses that Adelaide could afford, and they did not fit her son whatsoever. Before Alastor could pick up his glasses, Nicolette grabbed them for him and placed them back on his face. The glasses were slightly crooked, but Alastor did not seem to care. He had the brightest blush of his chubby cheeks. Oh, Adelaide wanted to pinch them! She never thought that all it would take was a unique girl with a raspy voice to make her son melt, to make him act like his age for once. 

“Uhm. Here. Thanks for helping me today, Allie. You too, Miss Adelaide. It…means a lot.” 

“No need to thank me, sweetheart. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” Adelaide smiled. Once the beignets were no longer piping hot, she covered them in a generous coating of powdered sugar. She prepared a side of melted chocolate and a small pot of honey for the children. Alastor was grabbing Nicolette by the shoulders, practically vibrating in his seat with excitement. “Now, eat up! Beignets are best served hot, you know!”

Alastor squealed once she placed the plate and sides down. “Thank you, Mama! Letts, you have to try this!” Without warning, Alastor shoved the pastry into Nicolette’s mouth. 

“Alastor! You don’t do that to-”

The delighted hum from Nicolette stopped the older woman from further scolding her son. It was the first time that either Alastor or Adelaide had seen Nicolette smile. Her cheeks were puffed out from Alastor stuffing the entire beignet in her mouth, but her eyes were bright with joy. When she swallowed, the adorable smile the girl had grew. “That was so good! What was it again?”

“Mama’s Famous Beignets! Aren’t they good?” 

Nicolette nodded while going for another treat at the same time as Alastor. The children happily ate the treats, covering it in sticky honey or sweet chocolate. Adelaide was content to see the kids enjoy themselves. She knew they deserved the reprieve. 

With the soft music from the old record player and the warm meal in their stomachs, Alastor and Nicolette started to blink sleepily. 

A yawn came from an exhausted Nicolette. “I should go back home…” She spoke sadly.

“You can stay the night!” Alastor suggested.

“I don’t know. My parents would have my head if I’m not home soon.”

“Then I’ll talk to them, sweet pea.” Adelaide put a hand on the girl’s thin shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. “It’s late, and it’s not safe for a young lady like you to be out at a time like this. I’ll bring you back home tomorrow. Is that all right, sweetie?”

Nicolette went quiet for a moment. “You’re really okay with letting me stay?” 

“Of course, honey! You ate my cooking, so that makes you part of the family! It’s a small one, so we have more than enough room!” The older woman ruffled his son’s brunette hair, getting a whine of annoyance from Alastor. When she still saw the uncertainty in the girl’s watery eyes, Adelaide placed a hand on her uninjured cheek. “From now on, you’ll always have a home here. Okay, sweet pea? Whenever you need someone to warm you up and make you laugh, I’ll be there and I know Alastor will too. He’s quite fond of you already.”

“Mama!”

“What? It’s true, mon fils. We care about you a great deal, Nicolette, so our door is always open. And my kitchen!” Adelaide chuckled. She smoothed her hand through Nicolette’s dark hair. “I’ll always be there with a hot beignet and a nice cup of cocoa the moment you need one. My boy will be there too, ready to make your sides sore from those jokes of his! Think we have a deal, sugar pie?”

A tear slipped down Nicolette’s face, but she was smiling widely. She nodded firmly. “Deal!”

It would be the start of many warm nights ahead. Of friendship. Of love.

Of heartbreak.

But that is yet to come. 

Chapter Text

“What happened next, Husk?!”

“Nothing happened because I ain’t tellin’ you anymore shit. We told ya how we met and that’s it.” Husk stretched her back to get out all the cracks and pops. She felt Alastor’s deft fingers dig into a sore spot on her neck and had to bite her lip to conceal the groan of relief she felt. It was incredibly late. Normally, Husk stayed up even later into the night. Her sleep schedule had always been terrible, but that changed after getting pregnant. The twins drained her of energy like tiny leeches. She needed a proper sleep schedule if she wanted to do anything besides lay in bed. That way, the energy the twins depleted would be recharged with a healthy night’s sleep. It was Rosie who practically forced Husk to start sleeping at a sensible hour after she had talked to the older hellborn about her fatigue. According to Rosie, she had to be in bed before midnight at the latest. Husk had been sleeping past midnight ever since she could remember. It took weeks until the sleep schedule Rosie insisted on was implemented. Before her pregnancy, Husk would not feel the need to sleep at this hour. Now, she was exhausted, fortunately too tired for any demonic mood swings to rear their ugly head. Alastor kissed her cheek with equally sleepy eyes. They were old. And old people needed sleep. Husk shifted until she was laying on her left side with her wings stretched behind her. “Now, scram. It’s too late for you kids to be botherin’ us.”

“What?!” Angel Dust whined. His pet pig shared the spider’s sentiment with his own snort. “Ya got me all curious and now yer stoppin’!”

“We agreed to tell you how we met, and we delivered on that promise. There is nothing more we are required to say.” Alastor’s smile adopted a dangerous edge to it. He enjoyed reminiscing about their past, but there were some…unpleasant memories that Alastor would rather keep buried. Their human lives were messy. There were lots of good times, yes, but there were times of utter agony and despair. 

Alastor didn’t want to remember those memories.

“Can we hear more tomorrow?” Niffty whispered, eye wide with hope. 

Dammit.

It was no secret that Alastor and Husk had a soft spot for the manic cyclops. They were a trio that stuck together through thick and thin. Additionally, Husk’s feline side had claimed the tiny demoness as her own long ago. No one could harm Niffty unless they wanted to face the wrath of a vengeful Radio Demon and an overprotective Husk. In said scenario, Husk would be the more terrifying one. There was a reason Husk had rose to power as quickly as she did. Her luck was a large portion, but her cunning was what made the older casino overlords cower in fear and give up their territories. Husk could read someone so well that she’d pinpoint their greatest weaknesses and biggest dreams within seconds. Alastor was experienced in reading people himself, but he used his knowledge to make his victims feel as much fear as possible. Husk did the opposite. She would lull her victim into a false sense of security, encouraging them to gamble again, seducing them with her lithe feline form, comforting them while they spilled everything to her, and it always ended with Husk ripping the victim apart either physically, psychologically, or both. This method was first developed in their human lives and became perfected in their afterlives. It was one of the only times that Alastor would not feel jealous or possessive of Husk having her eyes on another. It was all part of the con. He loved her more violent side, getting a front row seat to Lady Luck’s rage every time a manager or other got too greedy. Husk was an expert at cheating, it was how she survived as a ratty kid and equally ratty adult. What she did not like was when something was rigged, the outcome of the game already determined before it even starts. When Husk saw her managers or dealers purposely rig the slot machines and change the cards, she would punish them in front of all the staff to ensure it wouldn’t happen again. She had not needed to punish anyone for years, which disappointed Alastor. Even so, Husk was always capable of defending herself and her small pack. On the outside, she may look unassuming, but there was a deep fury within her that would turn her into a beast of mass destruction. Alastor had seen his wife’s true demon form only twice, and both times were due to Niffty. In recent years, everyone knew not to mess with the Radio Demon’s wife and not to harm Lady Luck’s daughter. 

Niffty meant the world to them, so they always indulged her requests. She did not ask for much besides more bleach and needles, but what she did like requesting were stories. They had been hesitant before to reveal everything to her, seeing her as too young to hear such tales. However, the Niffty of Hazbin Hotel was far more mature than Husk and Alastor thought. While she was still her psychotic self, the lessons Charlie taught daily had had an impact on her. She was finding joy in other things that were not obsessively stabbing bugs. Like Alastor, Niffty’s own madness had calmed over the years. Settling down. 

Settling down was a concept Alastor thought he would never get to know. 

You finally got a ring on her finger, mon fils, but you need to settle down with her too! I haven’t watched you two dance around each other for years just to get no grandchildren to spoil!  

Maman! It’s been two days since we got engaged! 

Yeah, Miss Adelaide. Kids are the last thing on our minds. Especially after one threw up on me last week at the grocer. 

Sugar pie, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Maman? I’ve been your Mama almost as long as I’ve been Alastor’s! And Miss Adelaide makes me feel old. Maybe you should call me Grandma instead?

MAMAN! 

“We will think about it, Niffty-darling. I believe it is time for everyone to retire to their own quarters for the night.” Alastor spoke softly as his wife had already fallen asleep. It was impossible for either of them to deny Niffty anything. He had seen and felt how nice the nostalgia was as he and Husk spoke. They could do it again. 

And they did. 

.

.

.

The next night, the members of the Hazbin Hotel gathered in Alastor and Husk’s room to hear another story from their past. Everyone had been arguing with each other over what story they wanted to hear from the couple. They went back and forth until Husk mentioned she was from the circus. Immediately, it made the others be quiet for exactly two seconds until questions bursts from the group. 

“How long did ya perform, Whiskers?”

“What acts did you do, Miss Husk?!”

“Were there other circus babes?”

“Did Alastor ever see you perform?” 

The last question from an excited Charlie made the rest of the chattering stop. Alastor and Husk shared a look of both amusement and apprehension. The deer’s thumbs circled the sides of her rounded stomach as a gesture of comfort. Husk’s history in the circus and the only show Alastor ever saw was a complicated story to tell. However, they knew that there would be nothing but support from their friends. Moreover, there was no one more understanding than Charlie, and the Princess had no qualms about reigning anyone in. 

Everyone was still waiting for an answer. Husk sighed. She felt both twins kick as she thought about Alastor and the only time he saw her show. It seemed that even the twins wanted to hear about Husk’s circus past. Especially, since no mood swings had plagued her for once. She rubbed the sore spot where the twins had kicked with a soft snort. Little shits. 

“He did see my show, but it was only one time. Kinda glad he didn’t see the rest. They were all fucking terrible. But the other performers weren’t too bad. We were like a fucked up family of street urchins doing tricks for a scrap of food.” Husk looked up at the ceiling, faded memories of the circus appearing in her mind like a nostalgic fog. “This is gonna be a fucking long story, so your asses better get comfy.”

Following her own words, Husk maneuvered herself until she felt comfortable enough to not move for the next hour. Alastor had been dragged down to act as her pillow, something he barely blinked at after being his wife’s mattress or pillow their entire relationship. He had purchased several luxury pregnancy pillows for Husk, but she rejected them all. The deer could not comprehend why she would choose his bony form over the plushiness of pillows designed to provide optimal comfort to pregnant demons. While it confused him, he was more than happy, if a bit prideful, to have Husk cuddle him for once. It was often the other way around, so Alastor relished in the times where Husk would be the snuggly one. Alastor kissed the top of her head, where it rested against Alastor’s chest, and nuzzled her fluffy ears. One of them flicked at Alastor’s face when he blew air into it on purpose. He gave Husk a shit-eating grin before shifting until he was comfortable himself. To help support Husk’s large baby bump, Alastor placed a pillow on his stomach where Husk was laying.

With both settled, Husk took a deep breath before re-emerging herself in the life of glitz, glamor, and greed she used to have. 

“I guess I’ll start at the beginning. And I mean the very fucking beginning when my Ma was pushing me out in a shitty barn.”

.

.

.

.

.

.

Before Nicolette could even walk or say her first word, she was deemed a disappointment from her parents. Her Ma and Pops were people that both came from a long line of scam artists, cheats, swindlers, and any other brand of criminal obsessed with making a quick buck. The greasy snake-oil salesman of old was reborn in her parents. Neither had a higher form of education besides what the streets taught them, and they had no desire to break the cycle. Instead, they relished in their dishonest work. Why kill yourself at a low paying office or factory job when you could make millions if you were lucky enough? That was the logic her parents followed until they had full blown gambling addictions. They believed that they would have it all if they just kept at whichever scheme they concocted. This line of thinking lead them to living a life of milking the gigs they got until there was nothing left to exploit. 

This type of life had worked for them. When her Ma found out she was pregnant, they used her pregnancy to receive pity from good natured folks. During the end of her pregnancy, a kind farmer gave her parents a place to stay until the birth. The farmer had even given them a generous donation to help sustain their new baby. Unbeknownst to the elderly man, her parents used his money to buy themselves jewelry.  A thick, steel ring with an amethyst gemstone for her father and a pearl necklace for her mother. They likely bought it from a third party that had stolen the pieces. 

She would grow to hate that damn ring and stupid fucking necklace.

In fact, she grew to hate her parents more than anything in the world.

The resentment started the moment Nicolette was old enough to think complex thoughts. Her parents had always treated her poorly for the sole reason that she was born a girl. Granted, she would have still been treated awfully as a boy, but their anger towards her would not have been so personal if she was a boy. In the early 1910s, women were seen as a man's accessory, meant to be married off and be a baby machine. Women could not vote yet when Nicolette was a child, further making the view on women worse. A young boy was useful, able to work at a factory or be a helping hand in laborious jobs. A girl could not do anything. In other words, a girl could not make the money her parents wanted. Nicolette was a burden, and her parents never let her forget it.

She became so desperate for their approval, that she was willing to do whatever her parents wanted without complaint. Pickpocket a blue nose? Of course. Stay outside in the freezing cold for a chance of someone giving you a nickel? Sure, right away. Sing and dance until she couldn't speak and her feet bled to give her parents a chance to steal from the audience? Yes, whatever they needed. Travel the world with a circus, act as a clown, sleep in the dirt while her parents and the ringmaster slept in cozy beds, risk her life over and over again with increasingly dangerous tricks, and be treated like a dancing monkey instead of a person? Most definitely, when do they leave? 

Nicolette was barely six-years old when her parents announced that they were going on a vacation. She had been ecstatic at the news, thinking that they would be going to the beach or somewhere even better. Her excitement never wavered as she packed what little personal items she had and walked to the train station that would take them to their vacation. 

Only to see an old train with several men in front who were smiling at them.

“Ah! Evelyn and Jack, right on time!” The man in the middle spoke. He was dressed in a strange outfit Nicolette had never seen before. As he walked towards them, his eyes locked onto hers. A shiver ran down her spine. “So this is the little lady, huh?”

“Yes. This is Nicolette, and she’ll be a great addition to your wonderful circus.” Her father said with pride. It was the first time that he had ever sounded proud of her. Despite her young age, the girl was aware that he did not mean it. The hand he had placed on her shoulder was gripping her tightly, wordlessly telling her to go along with whatever he was saying. Though, there was something that the strange man had said that made Nicolette's stomach churn. 

Circus...

“I don’t doubt it! She’ll fit right in.” He shouted towards one of the train carts to his left. “Mary! Come get this lass settled!”

Before Nicolette could process what was going on, another stranger came to take her to where she would be staying for the next several years. From what the man had said, her name was Mary. She held a sadness in her gaze that Nicolette did not understand at the time. However, her voice was comforting as she reassured the girl that everything would be alright and that her parents were joining the circus too. It did help put Nicolette at ease to know that her parents didn’t abandon her, but she was still upset that they had to be separated. 

The cart that Mary took her too was filled with people that held the same sadness in their eyes. Mary squeezed her hand when she noticed the child’s discomfort. “This is Nicolette. From now on, she is one of us, so I expect you all to treat her kindly. Is that clear?”

Everyone simultaneously said, “Yes, ma’am.” 

Nicolette was brought towards a corner of the train cart where there was a layer of threadbare blankets and straw. 

“This must be really confusing, so we used what we had to make you a place to sleep. I know it’s not the most comfortable, but you’ll grow used to it.” Mary gently placed her on the blankets. A hand carded through Nicolette’s hair to offer comfort to the scared child. For what felt like hours, Nicolette sat on scratchy straw and fabric while Mary hummed and ran her fingers through the girl’s hair. Even when the train began moving, Mary stayed by her side.

Eventually, Nicolette whispered to the kind woman, “I’m not going on vacation, am I?”

“No, dearie. You’re not.”

“Oh.” Nicolette muttered. Tears started to pool within her eyes and her lip wobbled. She held her knees to her chest, hiding her face with her hands. Her parents hated when she cried, so she instinctually went to suppress her tears. 

Warm arms embraced her. “You can cry. It’s alright. No one will judge you here, okay? You’re safe with us.”

Nicolette could only hope she wasn’t lying.

.

.

.

“I’m gonna fall!” 

“No, you’re not, Lettie. The net’s gonna catch ya.” 

“Is it gonna hurt?”

“Like a bitch, but you’ll be alive. Now, get on the rope or else the ringmasters will beat our asses.”

Recently, the circus had been receiving nationwide recognition for its memorable performers and ‘heart-stopping acts’. The money was pouring in, which was used to repair the train and give new wardrobes to the ringmasters. It was necessary for the train to be fixed as the circus was going on a tour across the states. Their next state was Louisiana. Specifically, in New Orleans. To keep the attention on the circus, new acts were added like clockwork. Each one harder and more deadly than the last. Case in point, the newest act had Nicolette climb a staircase made of separated wooden platforms while only using her hands to then land onto another platform to then use her feet to walk across a tightrope that would not have a net. When she reached the middle of the rope she was meant to fall perfectly into the arms of her fellow performer, Elliot…It was a lot, and the eight-year-old was terrified. They had a net during rehearsals, but they wouldn’t during the live performance. If Nicolette did not fall in the perfect position, then Elliot would not be able to catch her in time. In other words, she would die-

Elliot, a fifteen-year-old boy with shaggy blonde hair, sighed. "For the last time, Lettie, you just need to know the routine just in case one of the performers can't do it. Nothing is gonna happen. You'll just do your dance and song at the show and nothing else. I'm willing to bet on it."

His last words caught the girl's attention. For the past two years, Elliot had become an older brother of sorts for Nicolette. Everyone in the circus were like family to her now, but Elliot had stuck by her side the most. It was difficult for all the performers in the circus to spend time together as they were always busy with rehearsals, especially the more experienced ones. Usually, Nicolette spent her time with Elliot and the other teens. She was the youngest in the circus, but the performers never saw her as a burden or hindrance. Instead, they all helped her with patience and understanding. It was a new feeling, being cared for. At this point, her parents had practically abandoned her. They had not come to visit her in months. To her own surprise, Nicolette was not upset about it. Before joining the circus, she would have been shattered by her parent's abandonment. Now, Nicolette could care less about her parent's attention. Something within her had broken when Nicolette realized that they had sold her to the circus so they could relish in the riches with the ringmasters. Hatred bloomed in her heart that day, but it was put at ease when she was with her circus family. On her worst days, Elliot always managed to cheer her up by playing betting games with her. Seeing her parents use bets to scam people out of their money when they used to be on the streets made Nicolette familiar with the art of gambling. Unlike her parents, she enjoyed the game itself, not the prize. 

Though, the prizes were still pretty great. Nicolette breathed in deeply to calm her nerves, a small smile forming on her place as she looked at the blonde. "What are you gonna bet?"

"Of course that would get your attention. Ya greedy brat." While his words were harsh, his teasing tone took away any hurt Nicolette would have felt. He grinned at her. "If I'm wrong, which I know I'm not, then I will give you all the sweets I find for the next month. What about you?"

"I'll give you my good blanket for the next month if you're right." Nicolette knew that blankets that actually kept you warm were rare. It was an equal exchange in her mind. She had spent most of her short life sleeping on concrete with nothing but the clothes on her back, so losing her somewhat soft blanket would not by that much of a loss. Sleeping on straw and blankets scratchier than thorns was an upgrade. 

Blue eyes softened. Placing a hand on the net, Elliot gazed up at the platform Nicolette was clinging onto. "Mary would kill me if I took your blanket, so you'll need to think of something else. For now, I need you to let go and start crossing the rope, okay?" His typical abrasive nature had temporarily disappeared to reassure the girl.

Every part of her was screaming to come back down onto the ground where it was safe. She ignored her instincts with practiced ease and released her grip of the platform. The girl's legs shook as she stood up at a snail's pace. Nicolette locked her gaze to the white tightrope before her and the net that lay beneath. Far beneath.  Very far beneath. Before her shallow breaths could turn into genuine hyperventilating, she thought of Ruth had told her. Ruth was a year older than Elliot and was part of the acrobats that made the circus as successful as it is now. Her firm, confident voice sounded within Nicolette's mind. The tenser you are, the more you will shake. When you start to shake, you will fall. So relax. Keep your balance by looking at the end of the rope. Don't look at your feet. You will fall. Stay calm and make sure your weight is distributed at the center of your foot. If your weight is not centered, then you will fall. Make sure your foot and the rope are centered. Remember, the rope is made to withstand a person's weight. It won’t break once you step on it. Keep your arms and legs bent to stay centered. The straighter you are, the harder it becomes to center yourself. As you walk across the rope, move your legs carefully. Walk with one foot in front of the other. The foot on the rope should be more bent than the one that isn't. Looking elegant or moving fast isn't important. The only thing that matters is not falling. You won't have to walk across the entire rope since you'll fall into Elliot's arms at the middle. There's practically no chance that you will need to replace anyone, but you still need to remember this just in case. Stay calm, keep to the center, and do anything you can to not fall. It was easier said than done, but Nicolette knew she had to learn the routine. The possibility of something happening to the performer doing this trick was almost zero. Nicolette knew better than to assume nothing would happen. With her terrible luck, she may need to do the act. 

.

.

.

.

.

.

Lucifer gasped as if he was the one doing the routine. "Don't tell me that something happened."

"Something happened. The acrobat who was meant to do the routine broke both of her legs during a rehearsal. That was the same day that I met Al. We were doing a dress rehearsal with costumes and everything when it happened." The feathered feline's face twisted in grief as she remembered the screams of pain. She could no longer remeber the acrobat's name, but Husk did know what the ringmasters did to her. "She was kicked out of the circus. The ringmasters had no use for a performer who couldn't perform. It would mean that they would lose money, and that was simply too terrible to process in their tiny minds. I never saw her after that day. Honestly, I didn't try to look for her. I was too busy panicking. One of the ringmasters, William, slapped and punched me after I tried to refuse. He let me run off once he was done with me."

The numb tone Husk used as she spoke about the horrific trauma she endured disturbed everyone. Alastor had no hints of a smile on his face as he held his wife in his arms. He could tell that she was becoming overwhelmed by the memories. When she buried her face into the deer demon's neck, Alastor immediately knew that he needed to take over the story. His scent was strongest at his neck and had always comforted his wife. Husk was distressed while doing everything she could to hide it. He kissed the soft fur on top of her head, a wordless way of saying that he was there to support her and that he would continue in her stead.  Any rage that Alastor would have felt at the others for daring to make his wife upset disappeared as he saw the unimaginable amount of concern in their eyes. Niffty was curled against Husk to comfort her, Charlie had tears flowing down her face, Vaggie was watching Husk with a surprising protectiveness, Angel simultaneously looked ready to murder and cry, Adam held a storm of shame and worry within his grey eyes, and Lucifer held an understanding that Alastor did not expect. Said person reaching his hand towards Husk while looking at Alastor for silent permission. After the months of forced bonding with the former angel, Alastor had begrudgingly began seeing Lucifer as a friend. A friend that annoyed the ever loving shit out of him, but a friend nonetheless. 

"I get it. Heaven was pretty...brutal to those who failed to meet their expectations. My ideas were always put down in the worst ways, I was only meant to sit on a cloud and sing prettily as the 'Bright Morning Star' after all. Anything that did not fit my role was seen as something useless." The blonde placed his smaller hand against Husk's shoulder. His thumb rubbed it in soothing circles. Lucifer then grinned with a sparkle in his eyes. "Your ringmasters and Heaven can suck a dick. We're much better than them by a longshot. No one can match the prestige of us spectacu-ful magicians, right?"

By the way Husk snorted at the last part, Alastor could see that 'spectacu-ful' was an inside joke between the two. For once, Alastor was not bothered by it. 

With the atmosphere lightened, the stag demon decided to resume the tale. Before he did that, he could not help but place several kisses against Husk's head and ears while looking cheekily at Lucifer, who rolled his eyes. Alastor chuckled quietly at his own antics. "Well! It's time for me to take over!"

Ever the considerate one, Charlie raised a hand. "Are you sure? We can stop if Husk wants to."

"Don't worry, kid. I'm fine. Just a bit tired. I'll feel a lot better once Alastor gets to the part where he kicks one of the ringmaster's in the-"

"Spoilers, my love! Spoilers! Allow me to set the stage first..."

.

.

.

.

.

.

It had been almost three weeks since Alastor had first met Nicolette. To him, it felt like he had known the girl his entire life. She was the best friend he never thought he would have. Alastor had never gotten along with the other children in his neighborhood, but it was easy to befriend Nicolette. Something about her made her meld perfectly to Alastor. The two fit like puzzle pieces despite only knowing each other for less than a month. Even so, Alastor could not imagine himself without her by his side.

Fate did not seem to care about the boy's wishes.

"You're leaving?!" Alastor shouted, the strawberry he had been eating falling out of his mouth. 

His mother flicked him on the nose. "That is no way to behave at the table, young man! Apologize this instant!"

"Sorry, Mama..." 

"And?"

"Sorry, Letts." His cheeks puffed out in a pout. It quickly vanished as he gazed at a glossy-eyed Nicolette. Without his control, his own eyes began to fill with tears. "Why can't you stay with us?"

Nicolette was silent for a few moments, moving the blueberries on her plate halfheartedly with her fork. It had started off as a beautiful morning where Maman made pancakes with the fruits she had grown in the garden. Now, the happy atmosphere was solemn. With a shaky voice, the girl answered, "The ringmasters won't let me. Mister William is in charge of the younger members of the circus...He's really mean."

"Sugar pie, does Mister William do anything else besides being mean?" Adelaide's voice was gentle, and she grasped the girl's hand within her own. 

A tiny nod was all Adelaide needed to know the true cause of Nicolette black eye. Before the woman could say anything else, the girl pushed herself out of the chair to stand. She produced two tickets from the tiny bag she had brought with her. Without letting Adelaide or Alastor get a chance to speak, Nicolette dropped the tickets onto the table and ran to the door. The girl blurted out. "I have to go practice! The show is tonight! Please be there!"

Just as she was about to open the door, Alastor sprung up from his seat. "You don't have to go!"

Keeping her back to the two, Nicolette shouted. "Mister William knows where your house is! He knows where all of us go, so there's no use! And I might d-die tonight!" A harsh sob escaped the girl's lips. Her entire body trembled with fear at what was awaiting her tonight. "Just come...Please... If I live, then I'll find a way to stay!" 

Despite how much Adelaide wanted to scoop the poor child into her arms and never let go, she could already see the man waiting outside of their porch. The man was portly yet tall. He was likely the 'Mister William' Nicolette mentioned. Adelaide got off her chair and held onto Alastor's shoulders, knowing that her son was seconds away from running after her. "Okay, sugar pie. We'll be there."

The moment the door closes... tears flowed down Alastor's and Adelaide's cheeks.

.

.

.

Keeping a smile on one's face was the most important lesson Maman had taught him. For once, however, his mother would not scold him for not listening to her words. Neither of them could keep any pleasant expression as they sat on an uncomfortable bench. Alastor hated being touched, and he was being squeezed on all sides due to how packed the circus tent was. His mood had never been this fowl before. None of the acts had managed to lift his spirits. No clowns, tigers, or dancers would make Alastor happy. Only one person could.

"Ladies and gentlemen! It is now time for the grande finale!" A voice that came from a person no one could see echoed throughout the large circus tent. The prior intermission had been used to set up the last act. A staircase made of poorly crafted wooden platforms led to another platform that was connected to a tightrope that had no net underneath. Everything had been painted to look like one large tree. On top of the lowest wooden platform was Nicolette, who was dressed in white tights that connected to a black, poofy skirt. Her top had puffy sleeves with a frilly collar. Clown makeup had been painted on her face. The costume did not fit her, but Alastor was only focused on the obvious fear in Nicolette's eyes. The announcer continued as Alastor fumed. "We have saved the best for last! Witness the best acrobat in the world! She will climb these platforms and then cross this tightrope! All without a net!"

The audience gasped in shock while others cheered in anticipation. Alastor stayed silent, unable to make a sound from the nausea in his stomach. No net?! NO NET! That was the stupidest idea Alastor had ever heard! Nicolette's terror of dying now made sense, and it sickened Alastor to his core. His rage continued to grow until his hands were shaking from it. Maman was too busy staring at the girl they had both grown fond of to notice his rising temper. The nine-year-old wanted to drag his friend away from this terrible circus, but he did not know how to. He felt helpless as he sat there, watching Nicolette start to climb the wooden platforms. All the noise from the audience faded as his focus narrowed onto his best friend. The gaudy music, the flashing lights of photographers, and the stuffiness of the tent no longer mattered. Only Nicolette mattered.

His heart felt like it had jumped to his throat when Nicolette climbed higher and higher. Actors dressed as firefighters came out to scrambled around the platforms in a foolish manner that made the audience laugh. The theme of the act clicked: a cat is stuck in a tree and needs the help of firefighters to get down. Some of his nerves eased at that. With so many firefighters, surely it meant that they would catch Nicolette. She's gonna be okay. Letts said that the performers are really nice to her! They won't let her fall.

Alastor wanted to scream as he saw the actors flail around, getting farther and farther away from where Nicolette was climbing. Most of them were trying to think of ways to save her, but the clown makeup on their faces meant that they used pies or horns instead of logic. The numbers of firefighters soon dwindled to just one. At that point, Nicolette had successfully crossed the wooden platforms while using her hands. Splinters and scrapes were likely all over her palms, which made Alastor ever angrier. Nicolette was his best friend! She was being hurt by this stupid circus! It wasn't fair! Nicolette was nice to him, made him laugh, helped him with his chores, and had the prettiest voice ever! She didn't deserve this! Alastor could not help but think of his father. He hurt his mother who was as amazing as Nicolette. It wasn't fair. They were trash compared to his Mama and best friend! 

And trash needed to be thrown away.

Warmth encompassed his wrist. Maman shook her head softly. The boy knew why. If they did anything, the consequences would be awful. They had been placed in the worst seats, far away from the wealthier and whiter people. His mother would be punished as Alastor was too young. The boy had been taught long ago about the differences his mother and he would face. She told him that New Orleans was better than other places, and the implications were clear even to a child. His shaking spread from his hands to the rest of his body, anger steeping into every fiber of his being. 

Drums could be heard as Nicolette approached the tightrope. Silence washed over the crowd who all watched with bated breath. Unbeknownst to the audience and Alastor, the performers were on the verge of breaking character to help the girl they had grown to love. Elliot, the only firefighter near Nicolette, prayed to a god he didn't believe in that she would be alright. The ringmasters had made it very clear as to what would happen if anyone intervened.  They would be kicked out. Nobody joined the circus because they wanted to. They joined because they had no other options. Being kicked out meant becoming homeless and likely dying on the streets they initially tried to escape from. It was a war between an innocent girl's life and their own. 

Nicolette was now on the tightrope. There was no saving her if she fell before Elliot could catch her. Currently, he was supposed to be stuck in a thinking pose, unable to move until the girl fell into his arms. Moving meant breaking character. Breaking character meant being kicked out. Even so, Elliot was finding it harder to stay still. She's gonna be okay. She's gotta be okay. Please, God, let her be fucking okay!

She made another step then another. The catlike clown makeup on her face becoming smeared as tears rolled down her cheeks. 

She lost her balance.

Both Elliot's and Alastor's heart stopped. 

The young boy bit his lip so hard it bled. He could not shout or else Nicolette would lose her concentration and fall. Alastor was completely unaware of the streams of tears leaking from his eyes. The fear and rage mixed into something that just screamed bad bad bad BAD BAD-

His friend's arms flailed around before stopping as she regained her position. 

Maman was holding him, but Alastor still had not noticed anything around him. 

One more step.

Another step.

Several more.

Then she stopped once she reached the middle. 

Then...

Nicolette fell.

"NO!" Alastor screamed, shooting out of his seat. Fortunately, the rest of the audience had done the same with shouts of their own. Chaos erupted across the tent as the girl fell from a height that would kill her. The boy was starting to climb over the bench when Nicolette was caught by the last firefighter. 

Relief flooded the air. 

Nicolette raised both of her arms and swept them down in a rehearsed, theatrical bow. 

Cheers replaced the relief. 

Alastor and Nicolette began to sob, both children completely overwhelmed by what had occurred. Adelaide scooped up Alastor while Elliot held Nicolette, the little sister he never thought he'd have, with a grip so tight that it would bruise. The girl didn’t seem to care as she continued to cry into the teen's shoulder, her body shaking violently as she gasped for breath. Her muffled wails were drowned out by the thunderous applause from the audience. Everything had happened so quickly that Nicolette and Alastor couldn't process anything. The show ended with bows from the other performers and smug speeches from the ringmasters, but it was all a blur in their minds. 

Going outside felt like a blessing to Alastor and Nicolette. It was difficult to get Elliot and the other circus performers to let her out of their sight. They only let her leave when Mary told them that the girl needed some fresh air and that she would keep an eye on her. Mary knew about Alastor and Adelaide, so she allowed the girl to run over to them while watching from afar. 

The hug Alastor and Nicolette shared was more like a tackle than an embrace. Alastor held her with all the might his nine-year-old body could muster. "You are never gonna do that again!"

Nicolette nodded frantically into his shoulder, unable to speak after the horrifying experience. To help soothe the frightened children, Adelaide gathered both of them into her arms to hug them tightly. Her resolve to get Nicolette out of the circus hardened into something unbreakable. The kids quickly began crying again, so the woman hummed comforting lullabies. Adelaide did not mind getting her clothes covered in snot and tears. It was part of being a mother. Additionally, she knew that they needed to cry their guts out after going through something so stressful. Several minutes passed with her humming and rocking the children until the sound of footsteps alerted her. 

Three people stood before her. The portly man was the same one Adelaide had seen on her porch, but the other two were unfamiliar. 

"Ah! There you are, Nicolette! You scared me and your Pops half to death!" A woman crooned with a sickly sweet tone. 

"You're her mother?" The question escaped Adelaide's lips before she had a chance to stop it. 

The woman dressed in gaudy prints nodded. "I am! It's such a delight to be the mother of such a prodigy."

You should be delighted because she's your daughter! Not just a prodigy! This time, she managed to keep her thoughts to herself. She wanted to say so much more to these poor excuses of parents. However, the children in her arms stopped her. Nicolette and Alastor wiggled out of her hold, neither looked happy to see them. It was the first time that Adelaide had seen her son so angry. 

"There's our shining star! Come on, there's a cake waiting for you in your tent! I'm sure you're hungry after that." A thinner man beside the woman spoke with a cheery voice that grated at her ears. 

Alastor stood in front of Nicolette. He was taught to be polite, but this trash didn't deserve his manners! They deserved to be dead. "Are you Letts' parents?" Once he recieved a nod from the pair, a smile split across Alastor's face. It was a grin that was wide, sharp, and something that Alastor could not control. He saw the discomfort brewing within them. It was their fault that Nicolette was part of this circus! Their fault that Nicolette could not speak without pain! Their fault that Nicolette was so thin! Their fault that Nicolette nearly died tonight! Alastor was so tired of people like them getting their way. Her parents had the same air of malice and superiority that his father had. And he hated his father. Alastor hated his father more than anything else in the world. He hated him. He hated him. He hated him. He hated him. He hated him. He hated him. HE HATED HIM. HE HATED HIM. HE HATED ALL OF THEM. EVERY SINGLE ONE. HORRID. STUPID. USELESS. GARBAGE. THROW THEM AWAY. THROW. THEM. AWAY! 

Twisted thoughts appeared within his mind for the first time. Thoughts of blood, knives, drowning, and hunting. 

Nicolette squeezed his hand. 

The thoughts disappeared. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Alastor ground out. A joy he had never felt before surged through him as he saw how disturbed Nicolette's parents were. Turning to the portly man who still looked smug, he laughed. "Gee! Are you the Sir William? The greatest showman of all time?"

Surprised at the boy's shift in behavior, William blinked. "I'm no knight, but it sure is swell to hear my name making its way across the states!"

"It sure is!" He beamed, walking closer to the even smugger man. Alastor placed his hands on his hips. "This was the best show ever! My best friend almost died and you're gonna be rich 'cause of that!"

All of William's arrogance faded as Alastor gazed at him with so much hatred that the man's blood went cold. Something about that boy was not normal. He was unsettling in a way that a rabid hound was, waiting for the perfect moment to rip you to pieces. The boy looked at him like a alligator looks at a fawn. It was the gaze of a killer. William cleared his throat to rid himself of the knot that had formed in there. "Now, listen here-"

Alastor, in fact, did not listen. With a smile that could make the devil proud, he landed a devasting kick between William's legs. The man shouted in pain, holding his groin on instinct after the hit. Before anyone could do anything, Alastor grabbed his mother and Nicolette's wrist and booked it. No one followed after them. His mother would give him the scolding of his life and likely ground him for weeks, but he didn't care. 

When he spared a quick glance to his friend, he saw that she was looking at him with smile overflowing with joy. 

Yeah, he didn't care about the consequences.

Seeing Nicolette smile made it all worth it. 

It was a fact that would never change. Not as he grew into an unstable teenager. Not as he grew into an ever more unstable adult. Not even as he grew into an serial killer that cannibalized his vicitims. 

And not as he became a demon that would terrorize the denizens of Hell for years to come. 

She was worth it. In life and in death.

Nicolette would always be worth it.