Work Text:
From the eyes of others, they might think you're the luckiest woman for marrying Alastor.
But you knew deep down that wasn't true. They are right that he was a gentleman—a thoughtful and a respectful husband. You should be grateful he even married someone like you.
You—a timid young woman who managed to catch the attention of New Orleans' bachelor, Alastor.
The first time the two of you crossed paths, was the first time you went to a speakeasy with a friend. You tend to stay inside your shell and Alastor saw that. You seemed like the perfect quiet companion he could have by his side to avoid those rumors going around that he wasn't interested in the opposite sex. He was in the age where most men are already married with children.
The fact that he was already past those ages only added fuel to those speculations.
So then, he went and talked to you. It seemed like he was smitten by you if the scene was judged by the others. The bachelor of New Orleans was now smitten—bewitched by a young maiden—you.
After a long time of courting you, the seed he planted has borne fruit for the last couple of years. He had married you—he was content. You were content.
You, however—were now stuck in a loveless marriage. You should've known from the start. From his rehearsed way of showing his affections to you in public and private.
The wife who waited for her husband to come home from work while working inside the very home the two of you shared. But oh, no one could've prepared you for the scene that you saw during the first year of your marriage.
-
It was the weekend and your friend had invited you to an outing in town—eating at the town's cafe while catching up and going through boutiques to buy some clothing. You had mentioned to Alastor beforehand that you might come home late since you were also going to visit her home to meet her husband and their child.
Alastor could only feel the excitement as he agreed to take you to town.
The whole day, you enjoyed catching up with your friend through coffee and pastry. She had asked you how the marriage was going.
You could only make a small smile with a furrowed brow and say, "We are doing better. He's busy with his radio shows—yes, but he makes time for me."
After that, you bought yourself some new clothes and finally went to her home to meet her husband and child. You could only wonder if Alastor had already eaten dinner.
Alastor is enjoying his time. It has been a while since he had cooked something like this in his kitchen. Ever since he married you, he couldn't find the right time to engage in his cannibalistic acts.
He was cutting the limbs of the new special meat he just caught. An abuser and a sexist. What a combination.
An hour passed and he was halfway done with cutting the torso. He was so distracted in his own little world while humming a soft jazz tune that he didn't notice you coming inside your house.
After a long day, all you ever wanted was to take a shower and go to bed. You expect Alastor to not be home yet considering he always came home late.
You walked inside your home and made your way into the kitchen only to find your husband there. The sound of your footsteps on the floorboards came to a halt when you saw him.
Your husband—professionally cutting off something's or rather, someone's limbs. You could only hope it was a pig's. The decapitated head that lies on the side says otherwise. It was so gruesome your muscles are starting to feel numb causing you to drop your bags and purse onto the floor.
You hadn't expected to come home and see this. You didn't know what to do.
Alastor's eyes traveled from the meat in front of him to you. The bags you brought home surrounded you as you began to tremble with fear. You could only take a few steps back before Alastor makes his way to you with a knife in hand. Your back hits the wall and your legs feel like jelly.
"I'm so sorry, darling. I didn't expect you to come home just yet! Such a scene you had to see." He looked down on you with a murderous look in his eyes. It was dark—scheming, like he was doing it the whole time. Alastor then does something unexpected. He hugs you.
He embraced you tightly in his arms. One would think this was a romantic scene between husband and wife.
Your breathing starts to quicken as tears start running down your cheeks. You wept as you dropped onto your knees and shielded yourself from him. It was a sad and pathetic attempt of you trying to stop him from coming near you.
He cooed at you as he kept trapping you in his inescapable embrace, "Shhh, it's all fine and dandy, my dear. Everything's going to be just right if you listen to me." His voice should've comforted you, but you couldn't help but notice the hint of pressure in his voice.
You hiccup and tried to speak, "Y-you're.. the bayou butcher, are you..?" You weakly asked with your face stained with tears.
Alastor could only let out a small chuckle before he answered, "You really are a clever one, ma cherie. I made the right choice choosing you. You won't make me regret the choice that I made now, would you?" You feel hands stroking your head as he leans his head against yours. His words and affections are useless to you, it won't fix the damage that was done.
Yet he was persistent.
"We can go back to normal after this, my dear. This is just you finding another side of me. You need not to cry." He keeps whispering sweet nothings to your ears. It's like he's trying to communicate to a grave for you kept sobbing while trying to get away from his touch.
Trying to get away from his touch as he was burning you with his sins. Like you hadn't enjoyed his touch whenever he would touch you in public to show his love for you. You start to realize something. Yes, it was all just for show after all. For everyone to see. He had married you not because he loves you. He married you because he saw you as someone useful. You are used as a societal benefit.
But at least you made yourself useful, right? Pathetic.
You begged him, "P-please.. Don't kill me. Alastor, please." You begged and begged as you wailed in his arms.
By the time you already feel your body getting tired from crying, you relax yourself against his warm body. Alastor took the chance, "I would never hurt you, sweetheart. No, not you. You are too precious to die. Now be a darling wife and listen to what I have to say." He gives you a closed eye smile.
You look at him and wait for the next words that would come out of his mouth.
His bloody hands then cupped your cheek causing you to look at his hands.
"You are to never speak about this to anyone. If you do, well my dear, I'd say the outcome wouldn't be pleasant for both you and me."
-
You steal a few breaths from the empty living room for a minute. The tea you prepared for yourself had been cold for quite a while now. The sad frown in your face is evident. You feel the cold sin on your back—turning a blind eye to all the nefarious acts he had done.
Soon all of the memories and all of the things you had seen will be gone, with your eyes, with your body, with you.
But you and Alastor will always stick together. It has always been just you and him, together.
And when you're out without him, you're the clueless idiot with a painted face in the corner, taking up space.
But when he walks in and people see—you are loved.
You are loved.
Just you and your husband being better, together—forever.