Impulse & Consequence [RadioDust]

Chapter 11: Surprising Sweetness

Around 9 p.m. the following evening, Alastor strode back into the hotel's darkened lobby, and Husk greeted him from the bar with a raise of his glass. "How'd it go?"

"Well, I think," he said as he approached. "I learned some things, at the very least, and—once again—Sylvain is willing to help me. Has Charlie gotten back yet? We'll need to talk about his involvement now that I know he's willing."

"Ain't seen her. She better get back soon, though; Knives is stressin' everybody out way more without her here. Uh, hey," he added as Alastor was starting to take a seat at the bar. "I wouldn't get too comfortable if I was you."

"No? Why not?"

"'Cause you need to get your ass upstairs 'n' let him know you're back," the barcat clarified, nodding toward the elevator.

"Who?" When his friend responded with a blank look, Alastor supposed there was really only one 'him' in the hotel who would have any interest in his presence. Even if that interest was casual at best. "Angel? I don't know if that's necessary. In fact, I'd probably just be bothering him with—"

"Al. That ain't speculation; I'm tellin' you, ya need to talk to him," Husk said clearly. "He ain't hurt or anything, so quit lookin' at me like that, but you not bein' here messed him up. Best case scenario, he's pissed. Worst case...eh, I dunno, maybe he is hurt."

"Well why didn't you say so sooner?" the buck huffed, then rushed through the shadows toward the stairs.

"You're welcome, ya fuckin' ingrate," Husk called after him, though he didn't actually sound angry. Of course Alastor appreciated him looking after Angel while he was gone, but it sounded like something had gone wrong regardless. He was upset because I wasn't here? Since when? The last time we spoke, he acted like my presence was an inconvenience!

When he reached Angel's door, he took a second to compose himself before he knocked and called hesitantly, "Angel?" His keen ears picked up the sound of movement and scurrying right away, and then the doe yanked the door open—much more promptly than usual, he couldn't help thinking. Angel's expression was difficult to read, in that it changed so quickly. For the first split-second that he saw Alastor, it was something like relief. Then, in an instant, it shifted to the scowl of frustration Alastor had come to expect.

"Where the hell've you been?" he demanded.

"I was visiting my brother in Lux." Probably best not to mention the exact purpose of the visit for now. "Did something happen while I was away? You're clearly upset."

Angel let out a frustrated sigh and combed messy curls back from his face. "I dunno, Al, I guess I'm the weird one for expectin' you ta say somethin' before ya just take off for two whole days outta nowhere."

"To be fair, you had already gone out by the time I left," the buck pointed out, recalling that unpleasant run-in with Angel's client for the evening.

"Ya saw me leavin'. Ya coulda said somethin' right then."

Alastor's brow furrowed slightly, the closest to a frown he would allow himself to get. "The last time I tried to speak to you as you were leaving for work, you got irritated with me and told me not to delay you. Regardless, I had no idea you would've wanted me to tell you! I didn't realize that my absence would bother you."

"Yeah, well! Neither did I!" the doe snapped, pointedly refusing to look him in the eye.

After a moment of silence, the Radio Demon ventured, "I'm sorry."

"I bet. Ya know, the more times ya hafta say that, the less it actually feels like ya mean it."

Alastor winced but couldn't rightfully argue. "I'll...remember this next time, then. But I'm not planning on leaving again any time soon; I'll be around if you need me. For anything."