All is Fair in Love and War (Alastor x Reader)

Chapter 38

It had been a week since your rescue.

A week since you were committed to the ICU.

A week since Alastor left your side.

He barely ate, and when he did it was only a few mere morsels. If he slept, it was in that chair beside you.

Sometimes he would have music playing, sometimes he would read aloud to you from books; poetry, fairy tales, mysteries... Sometimes, he would just talk to you, and utter whatever thoughts crossed his mind.

But other times, he was quiet. Listening to the sound of your heart monitor and eyeing the machines that kept track of your bodily functions, watching you breathe slowly and steadily.

Your bruises were slowly turning from the reddish black and blue color to more of a brownish yellow-green, which although looked gaudy, meant they were healing. The IV was kept in, however they weaned you off the sedatives. The burns on your neck were improving as well, same with the sutures in your head, wrists and ankles. The doctors said in another week or two they could remove the staples and stitches. You were responding well to treatment, which was a relief to everyone.

Every day that you continued to improve made Alastor more optimistic, but also more impatient. He was desperate to hear your voice, for you to open your eyes.

Every once in a while when he would squeeze your hand, he would feel you gently squeeze back. It made his tear up every time, hoping that somewhere in your mind you knew he was there, and that you weren't alone. That you didn't have to be afraid anymore.

Charlie and Vaggie made a point to visit every day. They felt awful about the whole situation, overjoyed at your improving health but wishing they could have done more to prevent this from happening. Even Angel Dust had come by to see you every so often. Husk and Niffty would ask about you every day. Even Rosie came by once to see you and Alastor, checking up on him and bringing you flowers with her sincerest of well wishes for a full recovery.

Anyone who came in this room with you two could all agree on one thing. Aside from everything that happened with you, the most jarring thing was...

Alastor hardly smiled.

Faint ones, small ones, here and there when you'd squeeze his hand or make little noises and whimpers. But other than that it was a blank, empty stare; numb and void of joy.

He was angry. Infuriated by Valentino, Vox, Velvet and Shane. Even a little enraged at Molly too, but, he didn't hold it against her like he did with the others. Lucifer said he would deal with Triple V privately, and left Shane for Alastor; who promptly held him captive in the basement of his own manor to be dealt with later.

'Your days are numbered. For your sake, you'd better hope Y/n doesn't wake up.' He said after practically tossing him down the steep staircase, leaving him alone in the dark with no escape and locking the door up tight.

But mostly, he was angry at himself. Resentful that he let you go off alone when he knew it wasn't safe, that he didn't intervene in time and let you slip from his grasp. He felt horrible. It was uncanny for him to feel such remorse, but he felt every ounce of the emotion; and it gnawed at him relentlessly.

He was currently by your side as usual and stared at you with wistfulness as he watched you breathe and observed the very tiny micro expressions you would make every so often. Earlier, Charlie had stopped by with something's you had accidentally left at the hotel during your stay; one of those being a few vinyl records of some of your favorite music. Which was appreciated on Alastor's part, thinking you might enjoy hearing some of your favorite.