The Forgotten Celestial (Hazbin hotel AU)

Chapter 8: Behind the Mask

Y/N stood at the edge of the gathering, her back pressed against the wall, keeping a careful distance from Lucifer's powerful presence. She could feel the weight of the room change with every word exchanged between him and Charlie, and despite her best efforts to remain invisible, her heart pounded in her chest.

Suddenly, she felt a shift in the air behind her. Before she could react, a voice filled with static whispered near her ear.

"Well, aren't we hiding away from all the fun?"

Y/N jumped slightly and spun around, only to find Alastor, the Radio Demon, standing far too close. His ever-present grin was fixed on her, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"Alastor!" she hissed, trying to steady her breath. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

He chuckled, his voice distorted like a flickering radio signal. "Oh, you wound me. I thought you could use some company, what with you lurking in the shadows like this."

Y/N rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "I'm just... staying out of the way."

"Staying out of the way?" Alastor raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Now, that doesn't sound like the Y/N I've come to know. What are you hiding from, hmm?"

Y/N shot him a sidelong glance, keeping her voice low. "You know exactly why."

Alastor laughed, the sound almost melodic in its strangeness. "Ah yes, the King of Hell himself. Quite the presence, wouldn't you say?" He leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Though, I must admit, he's shorter than I imagined. I was expecting someone a bit more... towering."

Y/N stifled a laugh, but her eyes flickered nervously toward Lucifer. "Don't let him hear you say that."

Alastor winked, clearly enjoying himself. "Oh, don't worry, my dear. I'm not in the mood to poke the bear tonight. But you..." He trailed off, his gaze studying her more closely. "You seem a little on edge."

Y/N tensed. "I'm fine."

"Are you now?" Alastor's grin turned knowing, as if he could see right through her. "Well, if you need someone to keep you company while you hide from dear old Dad, I'm more than happy to oblige."

Despite herself, Y/N felt a flicker of relief. Alastor, for all his antics, had a strange way of putting her at ease, even in moments like this. "I'm not hiding," she muttered, though the words didn't carry much weight.

Alastor let out another laugh. "Of course not. You're just... observing, right?"

Y/N shook her head, unable to stop herself from smiling. They spent the next few minutes talking quietly, Alastor keeping up a steady stream of lighthearted banter. He delighted in teasing her, poking fun at Lucifer's overbearing nature, and even throwing in a few jokes about the hotel's more eccentric residents.

At one point, he leaned closer, his grin softening. "You know, it's nice to see you smiling. You've been far too serious lately."

Y/N blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in his tone. "I... I guess I have been."

"Well," Alastor said with a mock bow, "consider me your court jester for the evening. Laughter is good for the soul, or so I've heard."

Before Y/N could respond, she felt a familiar presence approaching. Her breath hitched, and she glanced toward the center of the room. Lucifer was now standing with Charlie, but his eyes were trained directly on her. A wave of cold panic washed over her as she quickly composed herself, remembering her mission.

"Uh-oh," Alastor whispered, following her gaze. "Looks like Daddy dearest has noticed you."

Y/N swallowed hard, her mind racing. She couldn't afford to get too close to Lucifer-not with the risk of him sensing her true nature. Instinctively, she reached deep within herself, summoning the magic she had learned over the years. Her aura flickered, dimming to almost nothing. It was a skill she had perfected as the strongest commander in Heaven, but even now, she wasn't sure it would be enough.

Lucifer's gaze lingered on her, his crimson eyes narrowing in suspicion. Slowly, he began to walk toward her, with Charlie in tow.

"I think they're coming this way," Y/N muttered, her heart pounding in her chest.

Alastor tilted his head, his grin widening as if he found the situation amusing. "Oh, this should be fun."

Y/N shot him a look, but before she could say anything, Lucifer and Charlie were standing before her. The air around Lucifer felt thick, like a heavy fog that pressed down on everything it touched.

"Father," Charlie began, her voice bright, "I wanted to introduce you to Y/N. She's a new resident here."

Y/N forced a smile, bowing her head slightly. "It's an honor to meet you, sir."

Lucifer studied her for a long moment, his eyes sharp and piercing. "Y/N, is it? I don't recall hearing about you before."

Y/N's heart raced. She could feel his gaze boring into her, as if he were trying to see past the mask she had so carefully crafted. "I... only recently arrived," she said, her voice as steady as she could manage. "Charlie has been kind enough to let me stay here."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed slightly. "Is that so? And where did you come from, exactly?"

Y/N felt the blood drain from her face. She had prepared for this, but now that the moment was here, she wasn't sure how to respond. "I... I don't remember," she said, opting for a half-truth. "I woke up here without any memories. Charlie has been helping me figure things out."

Lucifer didn't seem convinced, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than she would have liked. "Is that right?"

Y/N nodded, her mind racing. **I don't know what to do now...** She silently prayed that her magic would hold, that Lucifer wouldn't see through her.

After what felt like an eternity, Lucifer finally spoke. "Well, let's hope you're telling the truth, little one." His voice was low, almost a warning.

Y/N's pulse quickened, but she kept her expression calm. "Of course."

Lucifer's gaze flickered to Alastor, who was still standing beside Y/N, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "And you, Alastor? Taking a liking to this one, have you?"

Alastor chuckled, his voice oozing charm. "Oh, Lucifer, you know me. I'm just enjoying the company. Besides, Y/N here has quite the interesting aura."

Y/N tensed, her heart skipping a beat. **Does he know?**

But before she could spiral into panic, Alastor continued, his grin widening. "I always enjoy meeting new faces in Hell."

Lucifer stared at them both for a moment longer, then turned to Charlie. "Show me more of this hotel of yours."

Charlie smiled brightly, clearly relieved to shift the focus. "Of course, Dad. Come on, I'll show you around."

As they walked away, Y/N exhaled shakily, her pulse still racing. She had dodged a bullet this time, but the danger was far from over.

Alastor leaned closer, his voice soft. "You handled that well."

Y/N swallowed hard, giving him a brief nod. "Barely."

"Well, we'll just have to see how long you can keep this little game up," Alastor said with a smirk. "After all, the King of Hell doesn't miss much."

Y/N forced a smile, but deep down, she knew Alastor was right. The game was only just beginning.