So Much In Common: Book 1

Chapter 1: Family Reunion

The demon was a deer with red fur that walked on two legs and wore a suit. Two ebony wings protruded from the near eight foot demon's back, both were just a little over six and a half feet long, and matched with the antlers that came out of the demon's head like foot long  briar branches. The deer's crimson fur looked silky smooth, but the glare coming from his apple red eyes said that if you tried to touch it, you'd loose a hand. His suit a red clay color and had a white undershirt underneath, along with a shiny pair of black dress shoes. As he stepped through the door, he straightened his tie, which matched the suit color, and let his eyes roam the room with a cold glare. A pair of black rim glasses with bright red, circular lenses were perched on his deer snout.

"Welcome to the Happy Hotel! I'm the manager, Charlie Magne! How can I help you today?" Charlie didn't let this demon's cold eyes waver her usual optimistic and joyful self. She'd delt with worse looks before.

"My name is Furfur, I'm looking for the Radio Demon." Furfur crossed his arms and servade the lobby again, his scowl seeming to deepen.

"Oh, Alastor's a patron for the hotel, and my business partner! He went on break just about ten minutes ago. Just follow me, he's probably up on the staff floor." Furfur followed, still looking sour as he and the Princess of Hell entered the elevator, and Charlie put in her key that allowed her and the other staff to access the top floor.

They had converted the top floor so it had had a decent sized, private kitchen to the far left for the staff members, a living room that had a large couch, a love seat to the left, and a recliner to the right, all three pieces of furniture where in a half circular to face the flat screen on the far right wall. There was also a dining table with enough seats to fit the staff members, plus a few extra. After the reconstruction was done on the top floor, there had been an extra bedroom left over that Charlie had insisted Angel Dust have, since he was the hotel's first patient.

Like Charlie had thought, Alastor was on the top floor. He was sitting on the couch, watching TV, which was done he didn't do often, but Charlie soon realized he wasn't really watching the television. Angel was sitting on the opposite side of the couch, taking part in a lively conversation with the deer demon. Alastor and Angel still had plenty of fights and made many death threats to each other, but they had their moments where they acted like pretty good pals. There were even times where they would play pranks on the others together when they got bored.

"And then I blasted the handsy fuck's brains out!" Angel Dust made a finger gun  and pretended to shoot an invisible figure's head. Alastor chuckled, the radio statics cutting out of his voice for a second.

"So you don't always engage in sexual activity when the opportunity presents itself?" Alastor chuckled again as Angel Dust playfully rolled his eyes.

"Of course not! At least when I gotta hangover the size of your ego!" That bit got Alastor laughing, which made Angel laugh to. Of course they both stopped when Charlie walked into the room with the hulking demon behind her.

"Hi, Angel! I was wondering where you went off too!" Angel waved back at Charlie's greeting. Alastor was completely silent, his smile appearing more like a snarl as his eyes settled on the demon standing behind Charlie.

"Hey Charlie, who's that giant bastard behind you?" Angel was starting to feel uneasy as he saw the look Alastor was giving to the demon, not even seeming to see Charlie.

"This is Furfur! He was looking for Alastor!" Charlie came over and sat on the recliner and clicked the off button on the TV. It had been playing Katy Killjoy reporting the news. Alastor got up and faced the demon, his cane appearing in his hand.

"What do you want..." There was no radio static in Alastor's voice as he spoke to the other deer demon. Neither Angel or Charlie spoke, they had never seen Alastor act so cold. The polite tone in his voice was completely gone, replaced with a burning hatred.

"Is that anyway to talk to your father?" As soon as the words left Furfur's mouth, Angel fell off of the couch.

"Father!?" Charlie stood up and stared at the pair of deer demons, now starting to see the similarities, "Alastor, Furfur is your dad!?"

"Unfortunately yes, but his name was Henry in life." Alastor's hand tightened around his cane, seeming like any more pressure would cause the head of his cane to shatter into pieces.

"You speak as if you've always been this powerful demon, but I still remember when you were just a small boy who would sit in my lap and listen to the radio with me." Furfur allowed himself to smile a bit at the memory, even Alastor's hateful haze seemed to soften a bit. Angel was now standing to, watching the scene with the same jaw dropping expression Charlie wore.

"Have you come to reminisce on old memories, or are you here for something important?" Alastor held his cane behind his back, his hateful expression now one of a person who would rather be anywhere then where they currently were.

"Does a father need a reason to want to see his son and catch up?" Angel was also starting to see the similarities in Furfur and Alastor, both had deer related form, both spoke and held themselves with a certain suffocated demeanor, both had had a similar taste in fashion, and both were acting like they hadn't just met after who knows how many years.

"Well if that's all you're here for, you can leave because I'm not interested in that." Alastor tried to walk passed his father, but Furfur moved and put a hand on Alastor's shoulder, causing Alastor to freeze up.

"Son, I-"

"Don't. Touch. Me." Radio static filled the air as Charlie and Angel each let out a gasp in union. They had expected Alastor to break off Furfur's hand, but werer shocked when Alastor merely pulled away from Furfur and continued walking. The light thuds of Alastor's footfalls soon dissipated, and since the elevator didn't ding at the doors opening, Charlie assumed Alastor did his little disappearing trick. With a few cautious steps, Charlie approached Furfur. His face was totally neutral looking, but his eyes held a shame and self loathing.

"Mister Furfur, you can stay here if you want." Charlie ignored Angel Dust violently shaking his head and trying to signal that he thought it was a bad idea.

"I have no interest in being rehabilitated." Furfur's cold tone and scowling eyes returned as he faced the princess.

"If you stay, you can be near Alastor." Furfur looked down at Charlie for a moment, and started to understand why his son had decided to be this girl's business partner. She reminded Furfur do much of his wife, she and this girl shared the same kind eyes, the same optimisms, and the same smile. Seeing this girl smile up at him, Furfur could almost hear his wife's voice in his head, telling him to this girl.

"Alright, I'll stay." Charlie's eyes lit up at this.

"GREAT!!! Let me show you to your room!" Charlie took Furfur's hand and lead him the elevator.

When Angel heard the elevator door close shut, he bolted down the hallway. He hadn't liked the look on Alastor's face, and something was telling him to check on the always smiling deer.

"Don't do anything stupid Smiles." Angel hopes that Alastor had some weird power that let him hear Angel...where ever he was.