|| Misplaced || Alastor X Reader

{ Chapter 2: Adjusting }

She had been back for a week. The only two significant differences were Cosmo and her lack of emotions.

Her younger brother viewed her as a stranger rather than the protective sister she once was, and she couldn't blame him. After all, she felt like a stranger to herself.

Even now, as she stared at her reflection in the mirror, she felt like she was staring at a stranger.

She stared blankly, the reflection doing the same thing back. Cosmo said, "Staring at your reflection won't change anything."

She sighed, turning her gaze away and meeting Cosmo's eyes. "Talking to you also won't solve anything."

It fell silent once more; the only sounds were the clicking of her clock and the soft buzz of her computer. She had spent the last week completely changing everything about herself.

She dropped out of school as she lacked the motivation to catch up on the four years she had missed. Instead, she went back to scrolling for jobs.

The only bright side to her situation was that her mother couldn't bother her anymore—or, if she tried, (Y/N) just wouldn't care.

Her computer dinged as another rejection application entered her endless junk mail.

"Your world is rather.. saddening."

"Yours likes to take advantage of broken people, so I don't know the difference." She spat back, running a hand through her hair as she tried to weigh her options.

"Well, clearly, you don't have control of my world, but I still want my emotions back. So help me figure something out." She grumbled.

She wanted Alastor back.

Memories were there, but the emotions involved weren't. She needed to feel alive, and she felt alive with him.

Cosmo didn't say anything, "You have to die here."

She faced him again. "Okay and?" She said, her arms crossing over her chest. "I don't care if I die or not."

"But your father would."

"He's not my real dad. He'll get over it."

"He stood by your side for four years; I highly doubt that. And his divorce is being finalized."

"Divorce..?"

She stood up, her brows furrowed. That didn't make sense. She had been back for a week. Her mother and father still lived together, so how could their divorce be finalized?

Maybe she missed it. After all, most of the week was a blur as she focused on herself and stayed as far as she could from her family.

So her feet turned on their own as she raced down the wooden stairs that began everything—a squeak sounding as she turned sharply on the wooden floor, dashing into the kitchen.

It didn't make sense. He loved her mom more than anything else. So why would he choose to leave her?

"Dad," (Y/N) she said as she stopped at the doorframe. Her father turned and smiled, seeming happy his daughter had left her room.

"Sweetpea! What is it? Are you okay?" he asked, standing up from the table. (Y/N) looked away. "Are you divorcing her?" she asked straight away. Her father sighed, gesturing for her to sit down with him.

Was love always fleeting like this? Like her emotions.

She wasn't sure.

But one being was. Alastor.

The timeline for his world seemed to jump when he first introduced himself to Charlie and the rest of her friends, asserting himself among them before he disappeared into his room.

He had everything—power, wealth, and even popularity—before his seven-year absence. But that didn't matter; what mattered was that he had two shadows, one that looked like him and the other.

The other looked smaller, feminine, and had cat ears and a tail. He couldn't tell what kind of strange cat it was, but one thing was for sure: His shadow seemed to cling to it.

It had been with him since his arrival in hell after he died in his lover's arms. A fact he never shared with anyone; after all, he believed he wouldn't be respected if the hells knew he, too, fell in love. But he remembered her name and even her smile, painting to memory.

"It's rather bothersome you cling to that shadow.. no matter what I try, you refuse to leave it alone." Alastor hummed as he gently placed down his cane before fixing his suit. He had changed; entering hell meant becoming a demon. His luck was a deer demon, themed red. Or, as Angel Dust claimed, Strawberry Pimp.

His shadow seemed to dance closer to him while pulling the cat's shadow beside it and gesturing for Alastor to open his eyes.

"If this is about (Y/N), she should be doing well. After all, her life should be long and wonderful!" He glared, hardly having time for his shadow's schemes. The other shadow looked sad, and Alastor rolled his eyes.

Picking up his cane once more, he sat down. He tapped his Kane twice, opening a small window between hell and the mortal realm. The truth was after he died. He tried to keep an eye on (Y/N), but he couldn't find her. No matter what deals he made or what he made, the fools who summoned do. It was like she never existed, which enraged him.

If she had died, she would be in hell. He knew that much; after all, she took a life. So, just where was she?

It felt strange not being able to observe her like he used to. It was frustrating mainly because a number of things could've happened to her. Considering the last moment he saw her, she was once again crying, and he couldn't fix it.

Did the hunters get her? Was she framed for his murders?

Several questions filled him, but he never had answers. He just needed a sign.

The female shadow jumped in his line of sight, stopping his racing thoughts as he exhaled.

"What is it? You should return to who you belong to." He stated, tapping his claw on the armchair of the seat.

The shadow only stood there.

It wanted to reach out but had no physical form, only overwhelming emotions with no host. It felt sad and joyful. It had the best and most shocking news ever.

News that the host was facing alone and blankly.

"I'm divorcing your mother; you're right, " her father said as (Y/N) stared. She hoped this would spark something.

"But I didn't want that." She said as she looked at the floor.

"I know, but I allowed her to mistreat you for too long." He hugged her, "Blood or not, you and Eden are my children. I can't allow someone to mistreat one over the other; I love you both."

She was adjusting to no feelings and no emotions. How could she adapt to this? A world that Cosmo tempted her with when she first arrived at the wrong time. Was it just foreshadowing a world without having to seek her mother's approval and having her father's instead?

Could she accept that?

How could she.. she needed her emotions back before she could ever show her father how grateful she should be.

But the only way to do that. It was to pass away, to cause her father heartache while he was finally seeing her.