Priceless (Alastor X Reader)

Cigarette Daydreams

"Finally." You huffed.

Plopping down on the loveseat in the library, you let your head fall back. Happy and relieved to finally be finished with your tasks. As predicted, nothing super strenuous or taxing on the body. But it certainly was time consuming; and you were sort of tired from getting up so early. Thank goodness for that coffee Alastor had ready for you; it put some pep in your step.

If there was one thing you knew for certain, it was that this house felt even more intimidating when you were the only one in it.

You weren't quite sure how that was possible, but, the solitude was somehow suffocating.

You made an attempt to make a break for it using the front and back doors; figures, he locked you inside. No matter how hard you budged it seemed as though something was pulling the doors shut from the other side; countering against your efforts. And the windows were a whole other story. You couldn't even get the glass to crack let alone shatter.

Maybe today you would get a chance to make a run for it while you were out with Alastor.

Until then... Play the part and get chores done, you supposed.

Upon finishing those chores you wandered back into the library and settled on trying to read until Al came to get you. The thought alone was actually a little relaxing, reading seemed like a good escape for you for the moment. It was something familiar. Something you enjoyed.

You scoured the shelves high and low, skimming through titles and genres that he had labeled. He seemed to like horror, thrillers and mysteries; for the most part. Some were more fantastical and others were just classics. There was even some french poetry tucked away amongst all the others. You settled on a book when you saw a title that was familiar to you, and you pulled it from the shelf.

Crossing one leg over the other you nestled into your seat and got comfortable. Opening the book to the first page-

"Darling!"

You slammed the book shut.

"Yeah." You called out, trying to hide the annoyance in your voice. "In the library. One moment."

Begrudgingly you got up from the loveseat and went back over to the shelf you had gotten the book from; and placed it back exactly where you found it. (Alastor apparently was quite particular about the order of things in here.) You took a deep breath to mentally prepare yourself for this interaction you were about to have.

Your footsteps quickened a little as you got closer to the foyer. Avoiding looking at any of the portraits, photographs or mirrors in this hallway. It was the eyes that gave you the creeps, it felt like the walls were watching you. That unnerved feeling made the hair on the back of your neck stand straight as a rod; reminding you of what happened earlier that morning.

No matter how hard you tried to rationalize what happened you couldn't understand what was keeping you down, why you almost drowned. It wouldn't make sense that someone had come in because you would have seen and/or heard them leave. But then why did you see a shadow above you and feel a weight holding you down?

You wondered if you were hallucinating, maybe you fell asleep- although that seemed unlikely. You didn't understand.

But, the rest of the day had gone over fine without any more inexplicably strange instances so you were content with that.

Alastor's stature came into view as you entered the large room. Standing tall, and with proper posture as he looked over. Smiling in your direction as you approached.

"Good afternoon, my dear!" He greeted you warmly.

"Hiya." You said with a tight smile. "I did all the stuff you asked me to do."