Like A Drug (Radiodust Oneshots)

Betrayal Often Comes From Those You Trust (Part 1?)

 Something was wrong in the Happy Hotel. Something was making everyone on alert, jumping at the slightest sounds, scared to make any noise. The whole place was trickled with menace, though everyone was unaware where it was coming from. Charlie sent all the guests to their rooms and shut the doors. Vaggie stood tensely at the front of the hotel doors, spear out, eyes keen. Husk snoozed under the front desk, Niffty eventually waking him and bustling him to his room.

Alastor was restless. He couldn't help feeling that it wasn't the hotel that was in danger, it was someone in the hotel. He paced in his room anxiously, wishing that he'd accepted Angel Dust's offer of staying with him. He had dismissed the idea, saying he needed a moment to think. Angel had kissed him goodbye, and smiled before he left, then he was gone.

But as soon as he left the room, anxiety sparked through Alastor. He wished Angel was here to sooth him, to make him feel safe. But he wasn't. He was alone. Alone, with nothing but his dark, red room and the silence of his thoughts, his anxiety spiking.

Something large bumped his door. It bumped again, more forcefully. He reached over and opened it, thinking it was Niffty or perhaps Husk but hoping it was Angel. It was neither.

Fat Nuggets reared into the room, squealing in fright, scampering around like a mad chicken. He had a huge gash on his left side, and his tutu had been ripped off, only a few threads left hanging on. Alastor shut the door, and slowly calmed the pig down. It snorted and snuffled his chest, fear still bright in its eyes.

"What happened, Nuggets?" he asked, stroking the pigs' ears. It just snorted. Thundering footsteps came through the foyer, and Charlie appeared in the still open doorway.

"What happened?" she cried. "Are you okay? Is anyone hurt?"

"I'm not, but Fat Nuggets is," Alastor said, gesturing to the pig. "Does anyone know where Angel is?" Panic was rising in his stomach again, and it had only increased at the appearance of a wounded pet pig that belonged to a particular someone.

Angel would never hurt his pig on purpose. And the cut looked like it had been done on purpose. Angel hadn't done this. Someone else had. "We thought he was with you," Charlie said, as Niffty and Husk poked their heads around the corner.

"I asked him to go back to his room," Alastor said, regretting his decision even more.

"I'll check it," Niffty said, scampering off.

"I'm sure he's fine, Alastor," Charlie said, crouching down and gently putting an arm around his shoulders. "He's safe here. I promise."

Alastor barely listened, absent-mindedly stroking Nuggets's darker splotch on his back. The pig grunted. Husk approached and bandaged and cleaned Nuggets's wound, much to the pig's dismay. As soon as he was let down, he scampered back to Alastor's hands.

Alastor was still regretting his choice of asking Angel to go. Angel had agreed to leave him alone, saying he had to feed Fat Nuggets and phone Molly anyway. He'd said he'd call Alastor as soon as he got to his room, upon Alastor's request. He hadn't phoned back.

Niffty came back, looking flustered and upset. "Angel's not there," she said. "He's gone."

"Gone?!" Charlie said, jumping to her feet. "What do you mean GONE!?"

"I mean he's not in his room or anywhere else," she said. "There's signs of a struggle in his room. And the windows open."

Before she was even done, Alastor was halfway down the hallway, lugging Fat Nuggets with him, Charlie chasing after him, yelling at Husk to get Vaggie. He skidded into Angel's room, and his heart broke.