Alastor X Reader: Blood For Freedom

24. The Past

*** Alastor's POV ***

The song ebbed away and I had now found myself with you in my arms, feeling all sorts of strange things I didn't have names for. But my shadow was clearly elated.

"You are a good dancer." You said looking up at me with an absolutely dazzling smile.

"I should be saying that." I responded, genuinely impressed. In fact, it was clear you let me lead, as to make sure we go at my pace. You were more experienced than myself. I pulled away, letting you hold on to my arm as we kept walking down the mock street.

"I have to say," You giggled, "When you make romantic gestures you sure go all out."

"If I am going to commit to something, I should do it right. Ma taught me how to treat a lady properly after all." I waved my hand playfully. In truth I felt terrible about my actions towards you, you've been nothing but kind and in return I threw you into a wall and then made you feel pathetic, so this was my way to make up for it. Though I wasn't sure it was possible.

"So..." You hesitated, looking down, "What... or who really, did change your mind? I mean just a few weeks ago you denounced it all as... well a distraction." You didn't want to say pathetic presumably due to the promise to Stolas, but I knew that's where your mind went by the your ears flicked back momentarily and your tail gave little sideways twitch, "And you said it wasn't Stolas."

I took a big breath, I knew you would ask that eventually. After all my behavior has clearly been inconsistent at best from your perspective. We made it to the little park, it was modeled after the one near the playground where my mother used to take me, with a little makeshift pond and berry bushes. Both of us sat down on the swing and I conjured up some hot drinks, figuring it would go down well with the deeper conversation.

"No it was not your owlish friend." I took a sip of my drink. "Shadow, you can come out. I know you've been wanting to." I didn't have to tell it twice, it popped out in nearby sliver of light coming from one of the windows and gave you an excited wave. "This is my shadow. It... is a part of me or is me to be more accurate. We share emotions, feelings, desires. But not thoughts per say." The moment I finished speaking, to both my amusement and mild horror the shadow lunged forward, coming out of the ground right below the swing, starling you a little and making you bring your hands up as to make sure you didn't spill your drink. The shadow brought its face up to yours so you were looking down on it, it's hands trailed up you thighs until it was holding your hips in its palms, the look on its face was of longing and... devotion. Looking like it has already decided it allegiances. "Shadow get off -"

"It's cute!" You exclaimed and reached out your hand, giving it a scratch on the base of the ears, which the shadow leaned into closing its eyes in pleasure. Pleasure that made its feelings flare with warmth that I could feel myself.

"It's not cute." I protested, "But it did convince me that despite my less than fulfilling previous experiences that, well its worth trying again. With you."

"Awwhh, aren't you just the little wingman." You gave my shadow another scratch, and it got closer now wrapping its arms around your waist until its face was almost in your chest. I could see your face get a little red at the closeness, thinking it had made you uncomfortable I immidiatly reached for it.

"Shadow, behave." I took my free hand and yanked it from you by the collar, thoroughly embarrassed at its blatant behavior.

"Don't be mean!" You said giggling as you watched me pull it away and set it down in a pool of light by the side of the swing. "I have to say in all my years here I haven't seen something quite like that."

"How long have you been here?" I felt like maybe it was too prying of a question, but at the same time it was starting to feel unfair. You knew my past, how I died, and had information on me literally no one else in hell knew. Like my nightmares problem. Even shadow was generally a need to know basis type of thing. And I still didn't know anything about you, not really.