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“Please,come back… “. A gasp, his lower hands supporting him in a sitting position, tears softly running down his white cheeks… when did he start to cry? His upper hands going into his messy hair, grabbing and pulling them desperately . All eight of his eyes glossy and red from tears, well now he knew he didn’t start crying when he woke up. His breath heavy and labored, the mental image of Husk,a strong man, who would have double died rather than showing his weakness to all the people around him, and yet he broke his own mask to beg him to stay at the hotel, with them,with him… His eyes full of pain, his pleading voice.He was the cause of his pain, it was his fault that Husk was anguished. He started hiccuping at the memory,his cry spiraled into a full panic attack. He pulled his hair harsher, the roots of it tingling with pain, his lower hands grappling the bedspread roughly, as if he wanted to rip it off.
“Angel, please,no”. A pathetic whimper left his lips, while the red smoke circled around his neck. Val wasn’t there, Today he weirdly wanted to sleep with Vox after just a week from his downfall. The big love he had for the tv demon was almost pathetic, but that’d be the kettle calling the pot back, afterall Angel was the one hallucinating while the memories of him smashing the heart of the man he loved haunted him. Or at least whom he believed to love, Vox’s mind control broke him beyond saving, what if the feelings he had for Husk were all a lie? Maybe all this nightly torment was just due to having played with the heart of an innocent man, well innocent by hell standards. If that was the case,Charlie was deadly wrong, he deserved hell, every punishment, every pain, every wound. As the days went by he started to believe that option more and more.
“Oh Amorcito, look at the mess you made. You’re not even able to avoid hurting your own friends. Pobre gatito ~” he heard that sickenly sweet and velvety voice near his ear, even though his owner wasn’t physically there.The upper hands slid from the hair to his eyes, trying to stop the onslaught of tears drenching his face. But that didn’t help, he heard a little splat on the bedspread, his tears falling like raindrops on his mattress. His hiccups were broken and rhythmic, as if he was having troubles breathing, the red smoke around his neck tightened like it wanted to choke him.
“He begged you to stay, and you sent him packing with his tail between his legs. I doubt his corazón could resist for long after this” the voice turned even more malicious, he could peek a wicked grin through the red smoke.
A second voice piped in “What a show you put on dear Angel! I thought a cocked up whore like you couldn't star in a dramatic role, I stand corrected. Bravó “ the voice that caused all his recent suffering, cruel, sharp, ironic. Angel to him was just a marionette in his sick twisted puppet show.his feelings, something to play with according to his screenplay.
“Shut up! “he whimpered with a strangled voice. The answer? Two cruel laughs.
“What’s wrong bitch? Can’t deal with the truth?” the second voice mocked him. “Don't think you're better than us mi amor . You’re just as good as making people you love suffer." the first voice supplied with an hint of pride. “A Real heartbreaker if i could say so myself! “ “El gatito won’t come back from this. “ “What did he say? I lost the ability to love years ago? And then he falls in love with the cruelest slut of Pentagram City. Who, at the first chance, breaks his heart! It’s Hilarious! “ “ Quién Sabe what he’d do now that he is desperate” the two voices kept the onslaught on his mind, while two grins stare at him through the smoke curtain, interlaced with flashes of the desperate looks of Husk,the ones he caused. The smoke got thicker, choking his neck like a chain, tears leaving trails on his cheeks. He let it happen,while the two voices kept laughing at his misery, his sight started fogging ,his senses slowly leaving his body. Before he fell into this painful sleep, he heard one last voice joining the degrading choir , a voice brimming with static “I owe you a thank you my effeminate fellow! Husker lost any will to retaliate, not even i managed such a task! “ and before darkness enveloped him that radiophonic laugh joined the choir.
He woke up again in the morning, dry throat and eyes, red cheeks, scratched bedspread and a damp pillow due to all the tears fallen the night prior. A panic attack and a hallucination all together, because it never rains but it pours. He forced himself in a sitting position, he touched the end table surface but aside for the ecstasy pills kindly left by his boss he didn’t had much else on it, not even the glass of water he used to leave on his end table…at the hotel at least, because he wasn’t that stupid to leave an unattended glass in the V’s Tower, god forbid Velvette wanted to test a new sample of Love Potion unbeknownst to him. If she wanted to use him as a lab rat she’d have done it either way, but he’d like to believe that when Velvette asked for his consent he’d had the real possibility of choosing as if it wasn’t all an act.It was a little lie that soothed his mind. He begrudgingly got up, to limp towards the bathroom door, opening the door with disdain and drinking from faucet… like a fucking dog, but he’d take that over going to Valentino’s Kitchen in this state, where any of the three Vees could find him, he’d rather drink from the showerhead than do that. Water needs filled enough to not die in the next five hours, he slid his top on, one that looked more like a bra “kindly” gifted by Val,a pair of shorts that didn’t cover jackshit, thanking his lucky stars that whatever deity played The Sims with their anatomy gave him a retractable penis, at least he avoided any kind of accident with those “shorts”. Then swiftly slipped on the pink feathered robe, tying the belt to hide his “moneymakers” at the best he could. He still had to go to the kitchen for his breakfast , Valentino had been so “kind” - aka a total dickhead - to “suggest” him to drink dietetic tea every morning, You try telling him that his pole was thicker than him and that if he swallowed a lamp bulb, people would have mistaken him for a floor lamp. Valentino got obsessed about Angel “gaining some weight” since he started living at the hotel, so the spider demon must follow a strict diet regimen.
“That moth really has a shitty sight, kid, if a stronger gust of wind catches you ,you get thrown in another ring and that douchebag dares to say you gained weight? “ he heard a deep and warm voice in his head, that gave him some peace. Since he left the hotel auditory hallucinations became a daily occurrence, most of the times it was the fake sweet voice of Valentino or the judgy sarcastic voice of Vox ruining his days, if his mind was particularly cruel the staticky mocking voice of Alastor rubbed salt into the wound joining the chorus, when he was riddled by guilt his companion was the voice of Charlie crying and hiccuping. But sometimes, his brain gave him a break, filling his head with the upbeat voice of Cherri “I’d never get why ya fell for this douche, Angie, he isn’t even that big! Porn Overlord my ass with such a mid dick” or the deep warm voice of Husk, to make him crack a little smile now and then with his little commentaries. He didn’t deserve it, he knew it well, but those two were adamant about not leaving his head or his heart anytime soon… he sighed while opening the door of his room, in the same moment that soothing voice spoke again “You have to eat something, Baby. ”, he just whispered back “You know i can’t Whiskers, Valentino would notice if something was missing from the kitchen”, he was so out of it he was having a convo with his psyche, But he’d take any chance to talk with Husk without endangering him. “You know that’s the same dumbass who spent half an hour counting three bills,right? Dollface, A splatted mosquito has more awareness of their surroundings than him ”, a little giggle left Angel’s lips, his inner voice wasn’t wrong ,he couldn’t still take the risk but there was a way to satisfy it, a hardhead just like his Husky after all. “I promise you I'll buy a sandwich from the vending machine down the street when I go out. That disgusting diet tea will have to do for now”, his inner voice seemed satisfied with the compromise and after a little mumble it went silent.
Stepping into the Overlord’s kitchen, his heart stopped for a moment when he noticed who was laying against the couch cushions. Vox, holy fuck… sure, he was still a fucking ipad,but Valentino and Velvette caved in and gave him a wheelchair that he could control with his brain to move around the Vee’s apartments as he pleased,stellar punishment his ass. Those two loved this fuckhead too much to really kick him for good. Fuck fuck FUCK! They weren’t in Vox’s loft last night?! They surely heard Angel’s panic attack yesterday, oh fuck,maybe he didn’t hallucinate their voices… What if the bastards had their fun drugging and tormenting him while he was asleep?! It was a new punishment designed by the Vees to make his life more miserable?!
His thoughts were spiraling, but weirdly enough it was the fuckass ipad to interrupt his mind from descending into the abyss.
“If you’re looking for Val,he is sleeping into MY bed. Better luck next time slut” he said sourly,failing spectacularly at hiding his jealousy. Angel swallowed the “I hope you chained him to that fucking bed” coming out of his lips by default, if Vox,after living rent free in his head LITERALLY, still didn’t get that he stopped loving Valentino ages ago, he’d officially cross him as a total idiot. He just dignified the insult with a “I just came ta grab my breakfast, i could’ve done without the horrible image,sucka’”,he turned to the cupboard,ignoring the nagging of the ex overlord and focusing on finding that disgusting tea,whose taste was cow’s food and regret.The small relief from knowing that Vox and Val weren’t here the last night was replaced by the anxiety to be in the proximity of the tv demon. For all he knew he could get the reins of his mind whenever he pleased. He was so overwhelmed that he dropped the bag, that spilled some of it’s content on the floor.
“Can you not make a mess for five minutes ? Why the hell Valentino keeps you around will always escape me. Although you weren’t bad as a spy… ” he added the last part with a malevolent grin, looking at him with pride and satisfaction plastered on his face,Angel’s blood ran cold… then rage filled him to the brim after processing his words, That Son Of A Bitch! He threw an empty cup at him, missing him by an hair, the cup rolled off the couch shattering in million pieces.
“Oh oh! Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning! “ Vox mocked him.
“FUCK YOU STRONZO! “ he slapped his hands on the kitchen counter, all eight of his eyes shining magenta. But the Tv demon wasn’t scared in the slightest, his expression went from amused to bored and he just said -
“And I thought that only women had that special time of the month. You could have kept living in that dump,at least I wouldn't have to see your hysterical outbursts in the morning ”. A vein pulsed on his forehead,his eyesight fogging with fury, he was that close to plant a knife in his screen… But even in his rage moment, he remembered what would have happened if he killed Val’s great love,even if just temporarily.The Fucking ipad spared himself a week regenerating back. He walked to the couch to collect the pieces of the broken cup, kneeling down, ignoring that ipad head staring at him… At least,he tried until he spoke again.
“What’s wrong? Had a fight with your kitten? Too bad,you seemed very infatuated with him. He sent you packing once he understood what kind of whore you are?” Vox decided to rub a whole salt mine into the wound, Angel bit his lip to avoid insulting him back or worst, spawning his tommy guns and make him eat lead till he shut the fuck up.
“I mean,who would date someone whose hole was abused by the whole Pentagram City? A guy that for a hit would let himself be used by everyone. Even the drunkard turned you down“, Angel started seeing red, he rose to his feet in front to Vox,eyes wide and shining magenta again, he slapped his hands on the couch cushions, making the beheaded screen of the ex overlord make a little hop.
“Really? You returned to the tower because the furball rejected you? Angel your levels of patheticism surprise me every day more… “a rattle from his chest, another slap on the cushions, another hop “You done? “ Vox asked bored.
“TESTA DI CAZZO,YOU KNOW GOOD AND WELL WHY I CAN’T GO BACK TO THE HOTEL “. A lightbulb seemed to turn on in Vox’s head.
“Ohhhhh, right,that. Come on Angel, you really think the little princess wouldn’t forgive you at the first pathetic whimper? Being a martyr doesn’t suit you ”. He was really that stupid then… No wonder he and Valentino worked so well together, two egocentric dumbasses with the deductive ability of a chopped tree.
“Listen ya CRT brain-” ” Uh,Fuck you! I’ll let you know my head is the latest mode- “ ”I don’t give a fuck about how much fps you can count outta your ass! Listen for two fucking seconds. You endangered my friends,using my mind as your fucking personal playground, how could i even live at the hotel knowing that at any moment my will can be taken away from me?! That I can endanger the people I love again?! Or… that I think I love. Fuck! I can’t even tell if my feelings for them are true! This means jackshit for a psychopath like you, but for normal people this matters and A LOT! So shut the fuck up and get ready to get a front row seat at my outbursts for ya’ whole fucking afterlife, cause is all your fault i’m here in the first place!” he tapped his finger on his screen in an accusing manner. Vox rolled his eyes before looking at him again,this time condescendingly.
“What a drama queen. You’re knotting your panties in a twist for nothing. We both know those losers will welcome you back as if nothing happened. “. Angel eyes went to the ceiling stopping himself from cussing, this was clearly his eternal punishment, stuck in a never ending conversation with a technically smart man who was a total dumbass emotionally . He stared Vox down,eyes full of hate, praying the vein of his head wouldn’t explode in the next five seconds, he folded his upper arms on the chest, his lower ones cocked on his hips.
“What part of i don’t even know if they really are my friends thanks to your mind control ya didn’t get? Is your brain lagging?” he huffed. Vox had the audacity to feel offended, looking at the spider demon like his whole existence was an insult to his life, basically the same look he gave him every day.
“If you really think i’d have wasted time to make ya chit chat you’re even dumber than Pentious has ever been. “ Angel eyes betrayed his desire to break his screen while shouting at him to keep Pentious’s name outta his filthy mouth, but he restrained himself, he wanted to know, if this time he would finally get all the truth out of him or he would feed him another bullshit. “I picked you because you already had relationships with people at the hotel. Things would have been easier like that. So whatever eternal friendship vow or similar bullshit you had with the hotel folks is all on you,whore. “
“What about Husk? “ he tried to keep his tone neutral while asking.
“What About Him? “Vox’s question sounded annoyed.
“We bonded after ya got in my mind. It was part of yer plan? “his boot heel tapped the floor nervously . Moment of Truth… if Vox confirmed that was part of his plan, Angel would have been officially a monster, he would have bid farewell to the Hotel forever. How could he have gone back? After convincing a stranger that he felt feelings for him that weren’t really there . No matter how much his closeness, his voice, his sole existence were a comfort for Angel. Those feelings would have been fake, planted by a third player and he would have had to give up on them… For his own well being, and most importantly for Husk’s. He couldn’t keep him trapped into a lie. His heart was breaking at the mere thought ,his eyes turning misty and glossy. “Hopefully Vox doesn’t notice” he thought, trying to keep his face cold. He wouldn’t give him the satisfaction to see him cry,not today.
“Why should I have wasted my resources and my precious time to make you seduce that sucker? “ Vox asked, as if Angel uttered the most stupid thing ever. This time it was Angel who rolled his eyes. He was seriously starting to believe Valentino was the smart one of the couple…
“Come on Vox, you’re not stupid. You really thought your spy being buddy buddy with one of Alastor’s top souls would have not benefited you in the slightest? I dont think my question is that stupid”
Vox expression looked surprised for a moment,before morphing back into his snobbish condescending face.
“Color me shocked,a junkie like you having a decent idea all on your own. Sorry to let you down though dear, But i’d never let you talk with Husker under hypnosis. Pussycat might be Alastor’s pet now,but his ability to see through people wasn’t lost with his overlord status.As long as people saw you absent in small frames of times there would be no problems, you’re an addict after all,it would have raised no suspicion. But letting you have a conversation with a man whose whole shtick was breaking people’s masks? Ah! Who do you think I am? A Masochist like you? “ he never broke their eye contact, words filled with the same condescending tone he used with everyone , Angel especially… But the fucker was telling the truth. Angel knew him for 40 years by now, he could tell when the bastard was bullshitting him and now he was being sincere. His face morphed, from furious to shocked, eyes going wide, jaw slacking, upper arms unfolding, bonelessly falling on his hips.
“Oh fuck… “he let out almost unconsciously.
“Yeah, those horny teen-like feelings were all your doing. I would have loved not knowing about them “ Vox hissed disgusted “Congratulations on finding your soulmate. A cocked up pornstar and a drunkard gambler without their own souls even, what a star power couple”he added with a creepy smirk, but Angel stopped listening a long time ago. Vox’s grin transformed into a confused look “What? lost your hearing all of sudden? “. The only answer was a punch straight on the side of the screen,cracking it slightly,making Vox whimper.
“WHAT THE FUCK?! “ he shouted at the spider demon “WHAT’S YOUR FUCKING PROBLEM?! “. Angel lowered his face to be eye to eye with the man who ruined his life, grinning maniacally. Only then Vox’s face showed a hint of fear… Good.
“Don’t be a drama queen Vox. The only reason why I didn't split your screen in half is cause ya gave me the best news you could’ve ever given me. Think of it as a thank you.” he said with a faux sweet voice,dripping in poison. Vox just muttered something about Valentino needing to stop hiring psychopaths, rich coming from the wannabe dictator. Thought his instant calmness just gave Angel the reassurance that the tv demon wouldn’t have snitched to Val the real reason behind his screen crack, after all his plan worked,he had convinced Angel to get the fuck away from there,if not today,very soon.
The spider turned towards the direction of his bedroom, flipping off Vox and slamming the door shut silencing the “Ohoh! Very mature of you slut! “ from the cursed ipad. He sat in front of his makeup table before handling a bag full of makeup and bags of cocaine, zipper opened and after rummaging through its contents for some seconds he fished out a burner phone with a bright fuchsia glittered cover. He turned it on, begging that the battery wasn’t dead. Apparently an angel from paradise, probably Pentious or maybe his Molly,just bestowed a blessing on him, the phone still had enough juice left to work for some hours. As soon as the screen turned on, he hurriedly opened the message app,searching for Cherri’s contact pic. He gave her the number of this phone after discovering Valentino spied his main one for the first time. He touched the contact icon,before biting his lip anxiously. “Please don’t hate me”he thought. Everything was going too smoothly,usually it means reality would soon bite him in the ass and not in the fun way.
“You ignored them for two months,they probably forgot you already,ungrateful perra” that velvety and fake like a cannibal smile voice came back to torment him.
He breathed heavily, maybe it was true, maybe they finally moved on after all this time. “I mean,who would date someone whose hole was abused by the whole Pentagram City? “ Vox’s cruel words echoed in his head… Husk could've better than him… deserved better than a cocked up whore like him. For a split second he thought of letting the phone fall on the floor.
“Don’t listen to those cunts Angie! Grow a pair and send that message! “First it was Cherri’s voice to hype him up “We’ve been waiting months for you Baby. Don’t give up on us now” then Husk’s deep one joined in.
“Nobody will love you like i do Angelito you know it, put the phone down”
“Who could trust an addicted slut like you? ”
“Come on Angie! write that thing already! “
“Come back home, Angel”
In the end Cherri and Husk came out of it victorious, the screen still frozen on the chat between him and his bestie,now silent for months, the last message?
Sugar Tits:When you come back you own me a shopping trip. Your pig ate my whole trousse . Ignore whatever bullshit Valentino says, we’re here for you Angie. When you’re ready,we will welcome you with open arms, in particular the grumpy kitten. Xoxo ❤️
He took a deep breath before starting to write his piece,he reread it once or twice before sending it,pressing “Enter” with a shaking finger.
Angie:Hey Cherri. It has been a long time,uh? Hope ya and Husk aren’t too mad at me. I won’t blame ya if you were, but, i was wondering if you felt like hitting up the Magic Kat Casinò,yanno to catch up’ . You’re free to decline. In that case,take care of Fat Nuggets for me,alright?
Not even a few seconds and an answer was already sent, Angel tried to not be too hopeful , she probably was so mad that wanted to cuss him out of her life instantly.
Sugar Tits:Please,spare me this “You’re Free to decline” BS before I come to knock some sense into your thick skull! I do wanna see you little bitch, I'll bring Nuggs with me as well. He misses his mama.
Angel smiled, a soft tear slid down his pale cheek. He didn’t deserve a friend like Cherrii, but that was how she was. When she started caring for you, she would have given ya the world, even if you didn’t deserve it.
Angie:Thank you Cherri. Can i ask a favor?
Sugar Tits:Stop this formal talk bs,Angie. Shoot..
A weak giggle, some things never changed.
Angie:Okay okay! Could ya ask Husk to join us? We didn’t leave each other in the best way and I wanted to fix that… But I'd get it if he didn’t want to see me after this whole mess. I was a shitty friend to him after all.
Another few seconds of waiting, another notice.
SugarTits:Hey, Did Coke fry your synapsis? If ya really believe that Husk doesn’t want to see you,you’re high af. He’ll be there,no worry.
SugarTits:Don’t tell him i told ya this, but he missed ya like crazy.
His heart skipped a beat, red painted his cheeks. He missed ya like crazy. He fought the lovestruck dumbass smile making home on his face, failing spectacularly.
SugarTits:When can ya come?
Angie:Tonight will do. A guy owns me one,so i’ll have Val outta my sight the whole evening.
He knew that if he told Vox that he’d be out of the tower for the whole night in exchange for him distracting Val,he’d accept without batting an eye. His jealousy was crazy useful sometimes.
SugarTits:OK. I’ll tell the kitty to clean himself up nicely, I’d better not be third wheeling tonight! If you start making out, I leave you two there!
Angie:Stronza! (bitch)
It wasn’t too late, his friends still loved him, Husk still loved him, maybe he really had a shot at an happy ending, baby steps,but he finally saw the light at the end of the road.