Pardon The Way That I Stare

Unsettled

The next morning, the usual bustling chaos of the Hazbin Hotel was in full swing. Lucifer had hoped for a quiet start to the day, a chance to collect himself after last night's unexpectedly intimate conversation with Alastor, but peace was rarely something you found in Hell—especially not in Charlie's project.

Lucifer sat in one of the plush, overly ornate chairs in the lobby, sipping a steaming cup of coffee and trying to shake the fog from his mind. The previous night's drinks had left a mild hangover, but that wasn't what bothered him. His thoughts kept drifting back to the conversation at the bar, to Alastor, and to the way his own feelings had betrayed him. He didn't even know where to begin processing it.

*Why am I even thinking about this?* Lucifer scolded himself internally. *It was just a drink. Just a conversation.*

But it hadn't been just that. He knew it. There was something unsettling about the way Alastor had let his guard down—if only for a brief moment—and something even more unsettling about the way Lucifer had found himself... intrigued. Not just by Alastor's words, but by *him*. It was foreign, confusing, and something Lucifer was not prepared to face.

"Morning, Dad!" Charlie's chipper voice interrupted his thoughts, bringing him back to the present. She bounced over to him with a bright smile, completely unaware of the internal turmoil he was wrestling with.

Lucifer forced a smile, setting his coffee down. "Good morning, my little star."

She grinned, clearly pleased with his effort, and plopped down on the arm of his chair, her gaze scanning the room. "I was thinking of setting up some more group activities for the residents today—maybe another round of 'get to know you' games! It could help with team building, don't you think?"

Lucifer raised an eyebrow, his mind still half-focused on last night. "Team building? In Hell?"

"Why not?" Charlie replied brightly. "If we're going to make this place work, we need everyone to feel comfortable with each other, don't we?"

Lucifer hesitated for a moment, his gaze flicking over to the bar where he and Alastor had spent the evening. "Comfortable, yes," he said, his voice quiet. "Though that may be easier said than done."

Charlie followed his gaze, and her smile turned a little mischievous. "Speaking of getting along... How was last night? You and Alastor seemed like you were actually...talking."

Lucifer stiffened slightly, but kept his face neutral. "It was fine."

"Just fine?" Charlie pressed, nudging him with her elbow. "Come on, Dad, I know it wasn't easy for you, but I really appreciate that you're trying."

Lucifer sighed, looking at his daughter's hopeful expression. "It's complicated, Charlie. Alastor and I...we have history. It's not something that can be smoothed over with one conversation."

She frowned slightly but nodded, her usual optimism still shining through. "I get it. But maybe it's not about smoothing it over. Maybe it's about understanding each other."

*Understanding.* The word echoed in Lucifer's mind, and he couldn't help but think back to the look in Alastor's eyes when they'd talked about Charlie, about their shared care for her. There had been something real in that moment. Something unexpected.

Before he could dwell on it any longer, the doors to the lobby swung open, and in walked the very source of his confusion.

Alastor.

The Radio Demon was humming to himself, his cane tapping lightly against the marble floor as he strolled in with his usual air of unbothered cheerfulness. But when his eyes landed on Lucifer, there was the briefest flicker of something else in them—something almost nervous.

"Good morning, all!" Alastor called out, his voice as smooth and chipper as ever, though Lucifer could tell there was a slight tension beneath it.

Charlie waved, oblivious to any awkwardness. "Morning, Alastor! I was just telling Dad about some group activities we might try today."

"Ah, how delightful!" Alastor responded, his eyes still on Lucifer as he approached the two of them. "I'm sure we can all bond over some charming, bloodthirsty games. Nothing brings people together quite like a little chaos."

Lucifer gave him a tight-lipped smile, his mind racing. *Why do I feel like this?* he thought, frustration gnawing at him. *This is ridiculous.*

But it was hard to ignore the strange sense of anticipation that hung in the air between them. Alastor, too, seemed slightly off his usual balance, though he kept up his performative cheer as always.

Charlie, ever the peacemaker, seemed determined to make sure things stayed positive. "You two should team up for some of the activities," she suggested with a grin. "Maybe you can show everyone how it's done."

Lucifer's eyes widened slightly. "What?"

"Oh, come now, Lucifer," Alastor chimed in, his grin sharpening as he leaned on his cane. "Surely you're not *afraid* of a little friendly competition."

Lucifer bristled, more out of instinct than anything else. "I'm not afraid of anything, Alastor."

Alastor's grin widened, his gaze flicking over Lucifer with what could almost be called amusement. "Good to hear."

Charlie clapped her hands together, clearly pleased that her idea was catching on. "Perfect! You two will make a great team. I'll go get everything set up!"

As she darted off to organize the day's activities, Lucifer found himself standing awkwardly in the lobby with Alastor, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife.

Lucifer finally broke the silence, his voice low and tense. "What happened last night..."

Alastor's grin faltered for the briefest moment, though his eyes remained on Lucifer. "Yes, quite an interesting evening, wasn't it?"

"I don't—" Lucifer hesitated, his words catching in his throat. He didn't know what to say, didn't know how to even begin addressing the strange feelings that had surfaced during their conversation. "I don't want to make things more complicated than they already are."

Alastor's eyes softened, and for the first time, there was a flicker of something genuine behind his mask of confidence. "Neither do I," he said quietly, his voice losing some of its playful edge.

The silence that followed was heavy, both of them caught in the uncertainty of whatever had begun to develop between them. Lucifer could feel his pulse quicken, his mind still reeling from the implications of last night. He hadn't expected to be so affected, hadn't expected to find anything about Alastor remotely attractive. And yet, here he was, unable to shake the thought that had been nagging at him since their conversation.

Alastor, too, seemed to be grappling with something. His usual confidence was still there, but it was less assured, less invincible. He glanced at Lucifer, his gaze lingering just a moment too long before he spoke again, his voice low and smooth.

"I suppose," Alastor said, "we'll have to see how this plays out."

Lucifer didn't respond immediately, his mind racing with questions he wasn't ready to answer. Instead, he simply nodded, his jaw tight, as they stood together in the uneasy quiet of the hotel lobby, both unsure of what came next.