Radios not dead //RadioApple//

Ch. 1

After the battle at the hotel, everyone worked hard to build it new again. Meanwhile, Alastor was having a breakdown. It's worse than he ever had before. His deal was holding him back, and worst. he was starting to care for the members at the hotel. Now he was standing still in his fallen radio tower after just singing his heart out. His body buckled, and he fell to his knees, holding on tight.

It hurts, so bad. I've never felt pain like this? Why won't it go away?

"Hun? Are you alright?" Mom? Alastor lifted his head and looked at the table he placed his microphone on. He grabbed his head, shaking it. You're not real! Go away! He fell back. "Oh, sweetheart. Mommy is here." The mic sounded again. He could feel his face getting hot and his heart racing, and just before those tears started to flow. He jumped back into reality. He got to his feet and composed himself. Then, snap! he sent himself straight to where Charlie and everyone else were singing. He put on that fake smile, like he always did. Acting like he was fine.

~~~~~

Only a day had gone by since the battle, and Alastor half expected his wound to be fine. But when he woke up, a shooting pain caught him off guard. He gripped his chest tightly, grunting. He got out of bed, his hand still holding onto his gash. He took off his shirt and looked into the mirror he had. This cut scaled half of his chest and his belly. It was deep, and it didn't seem to be healing at all. He shook his head and dressed himself as he usually did. Again, he put on that iconic smile of his, not that he could stop smiling anyway.

He made his way downstairs, chipper as always. And he stood in the living room, looking around at the sad faces before him. He glanced over at Charlie, who was in Vaggie's arms, crying about dazzle. That's when that sharp pain came back, sending Alastor to his knees. He sat on the floor, holding onto his chest yet again. His smile still wider than ever. Charlie let go of Vaggie and ran over to Alastor as fast as she could

"Oh, Alastor, are you okay?" She placed her hand on his back. He couldn't let go. When he tried, his grip only tightened. He couldn't respond to her. His words weren't coming out

"Alastor? What's wrong?" Vaggie was now stood over him. in this moment, he felt weak, like prey being stalked by a predator. Like he couldn't escape the fate he was trapped in. And it didn't end there, Niffty was now making her way over to him, Charlie helped him to his feet. Niffty ran over to him, hugged his calf, and looked up at him with soft eyes

"Are you okay, sir?" Niffty asked, Alastor put his hand on her head and nodded softly. His other hand stayed on his chest. He glanced up from Niffty, and standing there was Lucifer, rolling his eyes. Alastor scoffed and snapped his fingers. Vanishing out of sight from Lucifer and away from the rest of the members. He couldn't bear to be near them in such a vulnerable state. So much for coming out of his room.

He stayed locked away for hours, listening to music, sipping coffee, and watching the fire. As he hummed along to his mothers favorite song, playing on his radio, there was a knock on his door. He walked over and opened it to see a rather stunned looking Charlie

"Alastor! Are you okay? You just left so abruptly. I was so worried. Vaggie told me to let you be alone for a while, but I just. I couldn't. If there's anything you need me to do, I'm here. I can help! Do you need help?" Alastor stopped Charlie by putting his hand up

"I'm fine, dear! Nothing I can't handle, just a bit of reflux from last night's dinner, that's all!" He lied through his wicked smile

"Reflux? It must've been bad. What did you eat? I can give you some medication for that, I know we have some. I keep a medicine bag in my room, I can go grab it!" Charlie started turning around, but Alastor yet again stopped her

"I'll be quite alright! I've taken care of it! Now run along, I'll be down in a bit!" He said, shoving Charlie away from his door. He could feel the pain coming back and couldn't stand for her to see him again. He hated people seeing his weakness. Especially Lucifer and his daughter.

"Okay, see you! Don't forget we're doing some trust activities later! I'd love for you to be there!" Charlie shouted as Alastor's shadow ushered her down the hall. He sighed and took a seat by the fire again. He slipped off his coat and undid the buttons to his undershirt, and rolled up the sleeves. He took a good look at the mark along his chest. He knew it would leave nothing but a massive scar there forever. All the more to hate about himself. He ran his fingers along it. The pain it granted was unbearable. With that smile, he winced in pain and pulled his hand away. Blood covering his skin. Alastor snapped, and a cigarette popped between his fingers. He used the fire from his thumb to light it and take a deep inhale off of it.

"Woah," Alastor heard a familiar voice. He shot his head over to his door where Lucifer was standing with his hand covering his eyes. Alastor could see how pink the king's face was, but he thought nothing of this. He was more upset that the king was in his room at all. Willingly. "You should really put those guns away," Lucifer said as he stepped further into Alastor's room. Alastor glanced down and noticed his nipples hanging out of his shirt

"Pardon me, but I wasn't expecting company," Alastor said, buttoning his shirt back up, Lucifer finally lowered his hand from his face.

"There we go! Nicely covered up!" Lucifer shouted, throwing his hands out, then stepping closer to Alastor. Alastor took a puff off the smoke he had

"Why are you here?" Alastor growled, hoping the king would leave his room

"To check on you," Lucifer stated excitedly

"Charlie did that already. Besides, that doesn't sound like you. " Alastor got off the chair and bent down to roll his pants legs up and fix his sock garters, the smoke he had pressed between his lips. Lucifer could feel how red his face was getting, the sight of Alastor with his sleeves rolled up, his sock garters, and that cigarette.

"Yes! I know she did, I uh, I told her to" Lucifer hid his red face, half expecting Alastor to shoot him a glare but. He didn't. Instead, Alastor rolled his pants back down and tightened his shoelaces.

"Hmm, I see. If you were so worried, why not do it yourself?" Alastor said, standing up straight and adjusting his bow tie. He took the smoke out of his lips and tapped it off in an ashtray on the table

"This isn't about me, radio man. This is about you and your problem." Lucifer pointed, Alastor placed the smoke back into his mouth for one last puff before he moved on to making sure his shirt had no wrinkles

"Problem! I don't have a problem." Alastor shot, flattening his shirt out. He ran his hands down the front of his shirt, and that's when he hit his gash. The sharp pain caused him to pull back and grunt

"Yeah," Lucifer tilted his head at the demon."I walked in, your boobs were out, and I saw the massive scar across your chest. I'm not stupid, you know?" Lucifer said. Alastor took the smoke and pressed it into the ashtray, making sure it was out before snapping and making the ashtray disappear

"Yeah, well, I don't need your help. I'm the radio demon, I can handle it myself." Alastor pulled his coat on over his shirt and started to button it up, and then it came back. The pains got so bad he could feel his knees buckle, and then, he hit the floor. His body was so tense. And Lucifer just stood there, watching the demon in pain. Just the thing Alastor didn't want, just the thing that made him feel so small.