Haunted (Alastor X Reader)

Chapter 18

The drive home was a rather quiet one, but not at all unpleasant. Save for the music you had playing (which even then was at a low volume), and when you'd give him directions on how to get back home. Alastor had once again insisted you wear his coat once you both exited the venue as you mistakenly forgot yours. You snuggled it subtly in your seat, breathing in that familiar scent of bourbon and something woodsy.

It was a warm aroma you had come to enjoy, and smiled gently to yourself as you also took notice of the soft silken fabric against your skin. Your hands tucked into the long sleeves as they surpassed the length of your arms, you hugged yourself gently as you stared out the window while Alastor drove. Watching the trees wiz by in the distance. Slowly closing in and hugging the streets as you got closer to your home; enveloping the car in darkness and a thin layer of fog. Light from the moon peaking in through gaps in the trees along with light from the cars headlights.

"Alastor?" You asked. Your voice quiet and gentle as it broke the silence, alerting the deer man beside you as he perked up at the sound of his name.

"Yes my dear?"

"Thank you." You said simply. Looking away from the world outside and over at Al. His eyes now back to those hypnotic red ones you had grown so accustomed to barely illuminated the air around him as they glowed. He glanced over at you before looking back at the road, you could just faintly make out his softened expression as he smiled. His pupils dilating as they looked at you.

"For what, sweetheart?"

"For being the way that you are towards me." You answered, turning your head and looking at the road in front of you. "You were always fairly kind to me, even if I wasn't really being kind back..." you admitted. "And I appreciate how much you seem to genuinely care. Like... this isn't just a job for you to look after me. I've really come to enjoy having you around, and... Thank you for being patient with me despite my apprehension at first. Because I... really, really like you..." You slowly went quiet toward the end of your confession, feeling a bit more vulnerable than you cared to admit as you opened up to him.

But you felt that he needed to know. And to be honest, it touched him. It made him glad to hear this from you, because lately all he wanted was to see and make you happy. One was never fully dressed without a smile, and well, you wore it best in his eyes.

He truly had not a single clue where such kindness had come from. Perhaps it was a dormant side of him inherited by his mother, he had spent so long being a cold, calculating killer and trickster he had forgotten he had a soft spot in him. And as far as his romanticism, he really had no idea where that came from when he was with you. Sure, love was such an easy performance to give. The script written a thousand times in all sorts of ways, one could replicate and fabricate the emotion with ease if they merely payed enough attention.

But it was all genuine with him, he could never fake such a thing with you. How he acted with you and spoke with you was with the upmost sincerity, whether these impulses were new to him or not.

"Y/n..." he finally spoke, taking one hand off the wheel and reaching over to grab yours. Holding it gently as you looked back over and smiled at him. "You deserve the best that I can give you. Which, as you know, is a bit out of my element. Romance was never a priority. Love, affection, or... Forgive me for admitting this, but even lust weren't a thought in my mind. You make me feel such unfamiliar things. Yet, I am more than willing to explore these feelings with you. And I'm truly grateful that you gave me a chance, because I am incredibly fond of you as well, and I don't want to let you down..."

He lifted your hand up and kissed your knuckles again before letting your hand back down; still holding it gently. "Besides, you shouldn't have to beg for the bare minimum. You deserve someone who will respect you and treat you as a person, who will give you the kind of love you crave and not leaving you afraid or second guessing. I'm glad I can be that someone for you."