Veiled in Shadows and Brimstone

5

It had been a long and exhausting day for Alastor, the King of Hell. He had spent the entire day at the castle, meeting with the Overlords and the denizens of Hell who were voicing their complaints about the Hazbin Hotel. Alastor knew that running a hotel in Hell was no easy task, but he was determined to make it work. As he returned to the Hazbin Hotel, Alastor couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him. This was his home, where he felt most at peace. As he made his way through the hotel, checking on his six children, he couldn't help but smile at the sight of them all sound asleep in their beds. He first checked on his oldest daughter, Liliana, who was fast asleep in her room. Next, he peeked into the room of his mischievous twins, Aurora and Alarik, who were curled up together in bed. Finally, he made his way to the room of his youngest children, the triplets Damien, Noelle, and Nicholas, who were all sleeping soundly in their cribs. However, when Alastor didn't see his wife, Charlie, in their bedroom upon entering, he knew something was amiss. Without wasting a second, he materialized in their shared private office, where he found Charlie fast asleep at her desk, surrounded by scattered papers. With a soft smile, Alastor gently shook Charlie awake, "My dear, you shouldn't be working this late. "Charlie blinked sleepily, before looking up at her husband. "I'm sorry, Alastor. I just wanted to catch up on some paperwork. "Alastor wrapped his arms around Charlie and lifted her into his arms, "There will be plenty of time for that tomorrow. Let's get you to bed. "With a small chuckle, Charlie allowed Alastor to carry her to their bedroom. Alastor helped her change into her pajamas before changing into his own. As they both got into bed, Alastor couldn't help but feel a surge of love and gratitude towards his wife.

🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains of the luxurious bedroom in the Hazbin Hotel, casting a warm glow over the sleeping figures of Charlie and Alastor. Charlie, who was three months pregnant with quintuplets, stirred in her sleep, the weight of her unborn children pressing against her bladder. She carefully extricated herself from her husband's embrace, being careful not to wake him. Alastor had been particularly overprotective since they found out about the quints, and she didn't want to deal with his fussing this early in the morning. Slipping out of bed, Charlie tiptoed across the room, wincing at the creak of the floorboards. She made her way to the en suite bathroom, taking care of her urgent business before quietly leaving the bedroom. She paused in the doorway, looking back at Alastor's sleeping form. He was so handsome, with his black tipped red hair, signature grin and his ears laying flat twitching ever so slightly. But beneath his charming exterior lay a darkness that only she could see. Feeling a pang of guilt for leaving him without saying goodbye, Charlie made her way down the grand staircase of the hotel. As she reached the bottom, she made her way to the office that was a sanctuary for her, a place where she could escape the chaos of ruling Hell and focus on the mundane tasks of running a hotel. Entering the office, Charlie smiled as she saw the neat stack of papers waiting for her on her desk. She settled into her chair, flipping through the pages and getting lost in the minutiae of budgets and schedules. It was a welcome distraction from the weight of her responsibilities as queen. Just as she finished the last of the papers, Charlie felt Alastor's presence behind her. She tensed, knowing that he would not be pleased with her early morning escape. Sure enough, he spoke, his voice low and dangerous. "Charlie, where do you think you're going?"She sighed, turning to face him. "I just needed to check on the kids and finish up some work before heading to the castle. You know how Sera gets if the paperwork isn't sent to Heaven on time. "Alastor's eyes narrowed. "You know I don't like you going off on your own. It's not safe, especially with the quints on the way. "Charlie bristled at his tone. "I can take care of myself, Alastor. I've been living in Hell long before I ever met you. "He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know, I just worry. And now that Roo still has my soul, I can't protect you the way I used to. "Charlie's heart twinged at the mention of Roo, the demoness who still held Alastor's soul in thrall. She knew that Alastor was bound to her in ways that he couldn't control, but she couldn't help the anger that flared up whenever Roo was mentioned. An idea struck her then, a compromise that might satisfy both of them. "Why don't you leave Shade with me when I go to the castle? He can keep an eye on me and report back to you. That way, you can focus on running the hotel without worrying about me. "Alastor considered her offer, his expression softening. "That's actually not a bad idea, Charlie. I can trust Shade to keep you safe. And I trust you to handle yourself. "They shared a tentative smile, the tension between them easing. Charlie reached out, taking Alastor's hand in hers. "I love you, Alastor. I know we have our differences, but we make a great team. Together, we can handle anything that comes our way. "Alastor squeezed her hand, his eyes shining with affection. "I love you too, Charlie. We may have our disagreements, but I wouldn't have it any other way. "As they stood there, hand in hand, Charlie felt a surge of gratitude for the man standing before her. He may be the King of Hell, but to her, he was simply Alastor, her partner in love and in life, as well as the father of her fawns. And she knew that no matter what challenges they faced, as long as they faced them together, they would always come out on top.