The muddle continues
Sep. 12th, 2025 11:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessUsually as I talk to evil_little_dog on fridays I keep my twiddling fingers busy doing the fannish rec page. today I had nothing to do and was looking for things...somehow forgetting to DO the fandom recs. OMG. You'll get 'em tomorrow.
That's where my head is today. GONE. But here is MY story, based on that 30 seconds of Hazbin Hotel teaser (I had to go for the whump)
Title: Master of Puppets
Fandom: Hazbin Hotel
Summary: Angel finds himself at risk of becoming a pawn for the Vees and he’s not sure he can do anything about it.
Rating: mature
Author Note - This is inspired (and spoiler for) the 30 seconds of teaser trailer for S2 (you’ll know which scene flash, trust me). If you haven’t watched the trailer and don’t want to know, bookmark this for later.
written forspikesgirl58’s six word challenge and the six words were Eatable, Board, Efficient, Ripe, Roar, & Creepy
Also written for the Lyrical titles bingo prompt of song with multiple singers using Master of Puppets by Metallica. I chose this song because Vox is definitely that, a master of puppeting people but also the song is really about how drugs can control an addict and Angel is at the mercy of both. Find the song here Master of Puppets
Also written for the allbingo prompt of shark bait.
Master of puppets,
I'm pulling your strings
Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams
Master of Puppets by Metallica
Angel put on his best ‘I’m hungry, I’m insatiable’ face as he eyed the buffet before him; poor Gray having to be a living table for this scene. There were only two twinks in this porno, Gray and Angel, and only one of them wasn’t covered with fur. Angel was just as happy to be the one not covered in food.
“Oh Echo, this is soooo good, so eatable,” Angel drawled as he picked a tiny fruit tart off of Gray’s belly where they’d been lined up in an arrow formation pointing down. Angel brushed his lips with the glazed edge of the tart while Echo’s slit pupiled eyes followed this movement.
Echo moved behind him, licking up Angel’s spine. Angel reached back and grabbed the spiraled horns sprouting from the other actor’s head. “Oh, I know. Everything here is so…ripe.” He grabbed a handful of Angel’s ass at that, giving it a squeeze.
Angel let out an appreciative groan. He didn’t mind acting with these two. Echo fit him well and wasn’t mean or rough when they were shooting. Gray was a buddy and today Angel was the meat of the sandwich. All and all it wasn’t a bad porn scene and the fruit tarts were actually yummy. It was going well until Gray sneezed and tarts went flying everywhere. All three of them froze with worried expressions on their faces even before Valentino screamed cut.
“For fuck’s sake, you couldn’t hold that in?” Val seethed.
“Sorry, Valentino. I think maybe I’m allergic to hellberries.” Gray wiped his face.
“He does look like he’s getting hives.” Angel pointed to Gray’s torso.
Valentino sighed and turned to Travis. “Find a different damn pastry for this. We’ll start again tomorrow. Everyone take an early day. Not you, Angel. You come with me.”
Angel could barely hide his grimace at that. Being separated from the herd was rarely good but on the other hand, Val usually didn’t like to screw him when he was still sloppy from being on set. Angel pulled on his robe and followed him, not to a dressing room to his surprise. No, they got on the elevator and rode down to the aquarium level. Usually, Angel didn’t mind this. He loved the aquarium and was grateful Vox allowed him to come here to watch his fish and sharks so long as he was silent.
However, seeing both Vox and Velvette waiting on them made it creepy. Angel’s pulse quickened. What the hell was going on? Velvette looked way too happy to see him and Vox…well Vox had been different ever since the last extermination. He’d always been a creepy fuck. Angel hated every time Valentino made him service Vox too. He couldn’t look him in his screen, didn’t know how Val could. How many times had he had to control his own instinct to freak out when Vox unfurled his tongue from that fucking screen only to jam it down Angel’s throat, probably more to please Valentino who liked to watch than any desire on Vox’s part to fuck Angel. Still any hole in a storm, right? Currently, there was no sense of desire at all, just a cold stare, like the sharks behind Vox in the aquarium. Angel shivered, feeling like shark bait.
He had never really been afraid to come to work unless he knew Val was in a mood or pissed at him but recently, ever since the battle where they had lost so much and gained something more, Angel had been nervous every day at the studio. In the past, all too often, the Vees would talk in front of him if Val was making him act like Angel was his lap dog. Maybe they thought he was dumber than a Yorkie. Lately, they had stopped that and it took him a moment to realize they were up to something.
It seemed a strange time to try anything. Lucifer showed his power in battling Adam and restoring the hotel as if it were nothing. Henroin had taught Angel and his brother well. Angel knew how mob bosses worked. As much as he disliked politics, Angel understood power vacuums and what men like his father, like Vox, would do to fill them.
Maybe it’s not Lucifer alone that’s got Vox thinking. Al got his ass handed to him and Lucifer didn’t show until too late for Pentious, too late for Dazzle, damn near too late to save Charlie. She ain’t got the heart to kill. Vox does. Might be thinking he can be the Don of Hell. Sweat popped out on Angel’s back at the thought of it. Henroin would know how to handle this. Arackniss too. Kinda wish he was here.
That thought surprised Angel. His brother was a tiny asshole. Most of the time he was glad he hadn’t seen him in years. Sometimes, though, he missed his big brother who had been so much fun when they were kids, running around Brooklyn without a care.
“You’re early,” Vox said to Valentino who shrugged.
“My actors are idiots. Had to take a break and figured why not do this now?”
The cold sweat spread over Angel, his palms slicking. He rubbed them on his robe. Things went from creepy to alarming. Something bad was about to happen and it was preparing to steamroll him.
Valentino propelled him toward Vox’s bank of electronics in the far corner away from the tanks. He knocked Angel against a chair set up there. “Sit, baby.”
That was a tone of voice Angel knew better than to protest but he did anyhow because once he sat he’d be at a disadvantage. “What’s going on, Val?”
“We’re going to have a little talk.”
“About what?”
“I said sit.” Val casually backhanded him, nearly taking him off his feet.
Angel sat, his robe gaping open. Velvette curled her lip at his exposed flesh. “Ya didn’t have to get mean, Val. I was just-”
“Being a disobedient little cunt, yes, I know.” Valentino got in Angel’s face, breathing his red smoke directly into it.
“Val,” Vox said low conveying the message ‘don’t make this harder than need be.’
Valentino squinched up his features, his eyes quickly cutting over to Vox and then back to Angel. “People are actually hanging around that hotel.”
What did that have to do….Oh God, this is gonna be about Charlie, ain’t it? He had to play it loose and cool. “Yeah, we got some new patrons after 666 News broadcasted the battle.”
“Can’t help but notice the hotel’s neon Xs and hearts, amorcito.” Valentino loomed over him. Why was he upset about that now? It had been a few weeks since the rebuild of the hotel. “How hard did you suck Lucifer’s cock to get him to do that for you?” Valentino raked his fingers through Angel’s hair before grabbing a handful so he could jerk Angel’s head back, forcing him to look up at him.
He instinctively grabbed Valentino’s wrists. Angel struggled to keep all the Vees in view. The last thing he needed was for one of them to come up behind him while Valentino was being a prick. “Val, ya’re hurting me.”
“I haven’t started hurting you yet.”
“I didn’t touch Lucifer. He’d probably smite me if I asked.” Angel scowled. He’d been tempted. Lucifer was a doll baby but his short king wasn’t gonna want the likes of him. And he was busy losing his heart to a certain grumpy old fucker. He hadn’t even thought to come on to Lucifer. “He did it because I stood by his daughter when her girl told me to run before the battle.”
“Ha, he loves the princess,” Velvette snickered. “You owe me, Vox.”
Vox shrugged. “I know he’s the princess’ man but loving her might be a bit of a stretch.”
No, it really wasn’t. Angel adored Charlie like a sister.
“Told you so. He tried to protect her from me once.” Valentino pulled harder on Angel’s hair. “Didn’t learn anything from that lesson, did you, baby?”
“I did! She hasn’t been back down here, has she?” Angel babbled. He had to protect Charlie. He owed her everything he currently had. He owed her for the sense of hope and family filling him.
“And you’re going to tell us everything she’s planning,” Valentino said. “Her and the Radio Demon. They’re in it together and we need to know what they’re up to.”
Angel shook his head, strands of his hair tearing through Valentino’s strong fingers. “No, I ain’t doing that, Valentino. Charlie ain’t got no interest in ya guys. She’s only interested in her plan to redeem sinners. And Alastor, he don’t talk to me really. He probably cares about Vox. We all know about that radio broadcast where he was taunting ya, Vox, but he don’t talk about that around us. Probably thinks Charlie wouldn’t approve of whatever he’s thinking about ya.”
“You’re going to have to do better than that. We know she’ll be back down here, causing us problems and you’re going to stop that for us. You’re going to be our mole,” Valentino insisted.
“Never. Ya can’t make me do that,” Angel fought himself free of Valentino’s grasp but Valentino planted his hands on Angel’s shoulders, forcing him down in the chair.
“Oh, but I can. I own you or did you forget?”
“How could I forget? Ya own me here, Val, but not out there. At the hotel I’m my own man and I ain’t doing that.”
“Then I’ll keep you here until you agree and you’re not going to like the things I do to you until you finally agree to help us,” Valentino promised.
Angel swallowed hard. He could give in and make them think he agreed to it. He could pass them fake information. He couldn’t give in too easily though or they’d suspect. He tried to mentally prepare himself for what came next but all the preparation in the world couldn’t really help with the beating he was about to take, with the multiple violations of his body he’d suffer. “She’ll come down here after me. Ya don’t want that. What if she tells Daddy?”
“You little bitch.”
In a flash Valentino’s hands flew from Angel’s shoulders to his neck. Angel gagged as Valentino’s fingers dug into his flesh with bruising force as he strangled him.
I have to fight! Of course he did. When he was alive, how many times had he been in Valentino’s shoes? How many people had he and Arackniss tormented and killed? The ones who sat there and took it died faster. The ones that fought back at least stood a chance.
Angel coiled a leg against the chair, gasping for air around Val’s hands, and then he swung that leg up between Valentino’s legs. Not expecting Angel to strike back, not when Valentino had such control in his castle, Valentino took the blow full on. Angel might have burst one of his testicles judging by how loud Val screamed. Twisting, Angel buried his fangs in Valentino’s arm and dumped his venom. It couldn’t kill Val but he wasn’t going to be right for days.
Angel kicked Valentino away and raced for the door, nearly losing his robe which Val still had a claw into. Angel ripped it free, not slowing in his bid for freedom. Something slammed into his thigh and he went down hard. His chin split open when it hit the floor, blood dripping like a faucet. He glanced back to see Velvette with a bow and an arrow glowing what would be a pretty shade of lilac if she wasn’t gonna fucking shoot him again. She has a bow? I ain’t never seen her use a weapon other than her sharp ass tongue.
“Told you he’d never be on board with this, Val,” Vox said in a world weary tone as he strolled over to Angel and grabbed him by the wounded leg. His whole limb tingled and was numb, like he’d been electrocuted. “He’s as stupid as Pentious.”
“Pentious was a genius,” Angel growled, summoning up a Tommy gun.
Velvette shot him in the chest and Angel spasmed, losing his weapon. Vox shot her a look. “Don’t worry, they’re low powered, just enough to stun him,” she said. “I know we need him. I’m not Val.”
Vox turned his gaze to his fallen partner who was cursing loudly in Spanish, his whole body pouring sweat and spasming from the venom. Angel tried to crawl away or at least kick Vox but no part of him wanted to work. Vox dragged Angel by the leg, his robe rolling up under his dual shoulders to leave his bottom half completely bared. Everything hung out, his lowest set of arms and his genitals, his control over them stripped away by the electric shock of Velvette’s arrows. Vox hefted him up into the chair and faced him toward the monitors. His robe was crumpled under him now, still leaving him naked and vulnerable on the chair.
“I know you’re not, Velvette. And I have a more efficient way to make Angel do what we want.”
Vox slid his fingers over Angel’s cheeks in something close to a caress. God, is he gonna be the one to try and rape me into agreement?
“You’ll help us or else.”
“Or else what, ya cocksplat?” Angel spat. He was gonna get hurt anyhow. He might as well be as obnoxious about it as he could. “I ain’t betraying Charlie.”
“You’ll do as I ask or I’ll keep hitting them until they can’t get up anymore. You say yes or I grind them into dust.” Vox stabbed a finger at the bank of flat screens he had set Angel in front of.
Before Angel could ask who they were, the screens flickered to life. On the left hand side of the bank, Cherri fought off a hoard of assholes all up in her turf. She was outnumbered and she’d been less diligent about her territory ever since Pentious had been disintegrated, ever since she started staying at the hotel more. Cherri whipped bombs, a determined grin on her face but fuck if it didn’t look bad for her. On the right side of the bank, screens showed Charlie’s limo, wheels flattened, being surrounded by red-eyed sinners, probably mind controlled by Vox because you’d have to be an idiot to attack the lord of hell’s child. Idiot or not, she and Vaggie were even more outnumbered than Cherri. One of them hit Charlie.
“No!” A roar tore out of Angel’s throat.
“Oh yes.” Vox laughed.
Angel screwed his eyes shut, looking away but Vox had returned his fingers to Angel’s face. He cocked Angel’s head back up. With painful force, Vox peeled Angel’s eyes open and made him watch the battles. Cherri looked more desperate as her supply of bombs dwindled. Vaggie and Charlie, weapons drawn, used the car as a shield. Angel couldn’t help them. No one knew they were in this much need of an ally. If the others knew their friends were under attack, they’d be there to help.
“Don’t do this, Vox!”
“I will strip away everything you love,” Vox promised, his fingers tightening against Angel’s face. They pressed so hard into his secondary eyes he thought they might pop like grapes. “The princess will no doubt get away from this skirmish but I’ll keep hitting her until she can’t. But that will take time and resources and there are better ways to bring her down. That’s where you come in. You’re going to make it easier and maybe the princess doesn’t get killed. As for your doped up girlfriend, who gives a shit if she survives the day?”
Tears welled up in Angel’s eyes and spilled down his face and over Vox’s fingers.
“Stop it,” he begged as some bastard got his hands on Cherri’s hair. Another tore at Vaggie’s skirt only to get kicked in the face. Oh God, I have to help them! But what could he do but watch, Vox’s claws digging into his face as Charlie punched someone in the throat. Angel could all but hear her saying, “Sorry,” as she did so.
“Agree to spy on her and Alastor for me and I’ll call them off.”
Angel shook hard, sobbing now. “Per favore, perdonami,” he whispered but they shouldn’t forgive him. This was his fault. Vox had guessed he wouldn’t betray Charlie without cause. He still wouldn’t but he could fake it. He had to be able to fake flipping sides.
“That doesn’t sound like a yes.”
“He’s never going to say yes,” Velvette said but Angel was ready to. He’d pretend to be their spy, anything to protect his friends. “You’ll have to do the thing.”
“I’ll do it!” Angel shouted. “I’ll do it. Ya don’t have to do that to me.” He damn well knew what ‘the thing’ was. How many people had he seen Vox strip away mental control from and implant his desires?
“Oh, I was always going to do that, no matter what he says. Angel probably thinks he can trick us.” Vox laughed, letting Angel go. He stepped around him, blocking the screens with his body. His eyes did that rippling black circles thing they did when his mind control powers surfaced.
Angel squirmed, trying to rise but whatever Velvette’s arrows had done to him hadn’t faded yet. Velvette stepped over Valentino’s now-unconscious body. She shoved Angel down and she took over prying open his eyes. Angel found himself staring Vox straight into his screen. Vox wormed into his brain. Angel tried to fight, mentally yammering at Molly in Italian as if that could confuse and stop Vox. For a moment it seemed to. He whimpered as Vox pushed harder. Angel struggled to amp up his imagined conversation with his twin. He winced as Vox dug in like fingers slipping into gray matter. Angel gasped and then he was gone with Vox’s voice whispering in his ear.
# # #
Already wasted, Angel stumbled into the hotel’s new, clean, lobby. Cherri Bomb, her head swathed with bandages, sat at the bar with Vaggie and Charlie, all bearing wounds. Husk leaned against the bar as they talked about what had happened to them and what they needed to do to keep it from happening again.
I need to tell Vox about this. Angel thought. He scowled. Why would he do that? He needed to, he knew that much. Not liking that thought, he needed to go find a good place to snort enough drugs until he couldn’t hear those thoughts anymore.
“What the hell, Angel?” Vaggie asked, spotting him in his all too obviously under the influence glory.
“Rough day,” he said as if that explained it. He didn’t wait for them to say anything about him being high, about how he’d fallen off the wagon. Ya need to stay. Vox needs to know these things.
Angel weighed that intrusive thought against the sweet oblivion of more drugs. Drugs won so he staggered upstairs, ignoring his friends. He wanted Vox out of his head. He had to please one overlord daily. Why was he worrying about another? He sure as fuck didn’t want to so he’d splurged on several baggies. Most he hid in his sex toy chest. Vaggie and Charlie wouldn’t look there. He poured out several thick lines on his vanity. He’d snorted half of them by the time Husk and Cherri were at his door.
“Kid, are you all right?” Husk asked.
“Of course, he ain’t. Look at him,” Cherri retorted. “Angelcakes, what happened?”
“Just a rough shoot.” Was it though? Angel couldn’t even remember most of the day. Valentino must have treated him to one of Velvette’s latest concoctions.
“You want company?” Husk shot him a look of concern. “The ladies want you to come back downstairs.”
I need to go down there. They might talk about their plans. Vox needs to know. What the fuck was wrong with him? No, he was better off up here snorting drugs. “Don’t want to. I’m staying here.” He sucked up another line.
“He shouldn’t be alone. I’ll stay with him,” Cherri said.
“If you don’t mind, I’m staying. You can tell Charlie Angel’s not well tonight,” Husk said.
“Fine. My head hurts too much to argue.” Cherri stomped off.
Husk reached out to touch Angel’s cheek and he flinched away. What the fuck is wrong with ya? You and Husk, you’re together…he’s being sweet. Ya want him sweet. Angel had no answer to his own question. All he knew was he didn’t want anyone touching his face.
“You’re bruised all over your face and neck, kid. Who split your chin open? Is there anything I can do? There’s that facial ice pack in the first aid kit. I can put it in the freezer for later.”
Angel shook his head and dragged himself over to his bed. He flopped on it but the coke and PCP mix wasn’t going to let him sleep. “Hold me, Husk.”
Husk didn’t hesitate. He sat on the bed with Angel and held him. “What’s wrong? What did they do?”
“I don’t know and that scares me.” Angel trembled, burying his face in Husk’s fur. “I don’t know how I got all bruised up, even back here.” He ran a hand over the back of his thigh. He’d seen the starburst wound that looked like a burn.
“That needs treated, Angel.”
“Hold me now, worry about that later,” Angel insisted and Husk complied.
He’d have to let Husk treat him and he needed to sit in on Charlie’s planning sessions. Why, he couldn’t say. He never gave much of a damn before but now…he needed to, right? Someone wanted him to. Who? Vox, yeah that’s who. The drugs said ‘who gives a fuck, just let us float your troubles away.’ That seemed like a better option to him. Screw TV head. When did he start caring about what Vox wanted? All Angel wanted to do was rest in Husk’s arms and not worry about anything else. Whoever wanted something from him, they’d just have to wait.
End Note
Sorry for the rather ambiguous ending. I don’t tend to go for them but that seemed fitting for this story and that tiny snip of a scene we saw in the trailer. This is just my speculation on how that could play out. Will it end well for Angel? Guess we’ll see soon enough.
Today I call the Grove City office for my surgeon because I'm less annoyed at them because I was at fault for some of that too. It was a mix up. And she goes...well I'm not sure why Chillicothe told you to make a Thursday appt. He does surgery thur/fri So now I'm furious because I suspect that there never WAS a real appt yesterday. I think someone fucked up and all they needed to do was lie to me and say we need to reschedule.
Now I'm going on the 30th and I have to cut a lab in half to get up there for a 4 pm appt. I'm also thinking of calling Cabell on Monday to see if I can get into the ENT surgeon quickly. Highly doubtful but it's worth a call.
I dump off my art today and the new art person loves the one with bones. After I get to my office I realize....I did NOT take pictures of either art project. Go Dana Go.
I get home and I call my insurance after I check my HSA and my EOBs about Aspen Dental which I want to burn down. Yes paid them 180$ but my EOB says I only owed 40 so yes they did owe me back 140 some. So now they say I owed around 170 keeping my money and asking for 25$ more.
I poke around my insurance and as far as I can tell it should have been covered 100%. I call my insurance and it's too soon to tell but she agreed, I shouldn't have owed ANYTHING. So I will be watching every EOB for next few weeks. I'm so angry at them.
evil_little_dog on fridays I keep my twiddling fingers busy doing the fannish rec page. today I had nothing to do and was looking for things...somehow forgetting to DO the fandom recs. OMG. You'll get 'em tomorrow.That's where my head is today. GONE. But here is MY story, based on that 30 seconds of Hazbin Hotel teaser (I had to go for the whump)
Title: Master of Puppets
Fandom: Hazbin Hotel
Summary: Angel finds himself at risk of becoming a pawn for the Vees and he’s not sure he can do anything about it.
Rating: mature
Author Note - This is inspired (and spoiler for) the 30 seconds of teaser trailer for S2 (you’ll know which scene flash, trust me). If you haven’t watched the trailer and don’t want to know, bookmark this for later.
written for
spikesgirl58’s six word challenge and the six words were Eatable, Board, Efficient, Ripe, Roar, & CreepyAlso written for the Lyrical titles bingo prompt of song with multiple singers using Master of Puppets by Metallica. I chose this song because Vox is definitely that, a master of puppeting people but also the song is really about how drugs can control an addict and Angel is at the mercy of both. Find the song here Master of Puppets
Also written for the allbingo prompt of shark bait.
Master of puppets,
I'm pulling your strings
Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams
Master of Puppets by Metallica
Angel put on his best ‘I’m hungry, I’m insatiable’ face as he eyed the buffet before him; poor Gray having to be a living table for this scene. There were only two twinks in this porno, Gray and Angel, and only one of them wasn’t covered with fur. Angel was just as happy to be the one not covered in food.
“Oh Echo, this is soooo good, so eatable,” Angel drawled as he picked a tiny fruit tart off of Gray’s belly where they’d been lined up in an arrow formation pointing down. Angel brushed his lips with the glazed edge of the tart while Echo’s slit pupiled eyes followed this movement.
Echo moved behind him, licking up Angel’s spine. Angel reached back and grabbed the spiraled horns sprouting from the other actor’s head. “Oh, I know. Everything here is so…ripe.” He grabbed a handful of Angel’s ass at that, giving it a squeeze.
Angel let out an appreciative groan. He didn’t mind acting with these two. Echo fit him well and wasn’t mean or rough when they were shooting. Gray was a buddy and today Angel was the meat of the sandwich. All and all it wasn’t a bad porn scene and the fruit tarts were actually yummy. It was going well until Gray sneezed and tarts went flying everywhere. All three of them froze with worried expressions on their faces even before Valentino screamed cut.
“For fuck’s sake, you couldn’t hold that in?” Val seethed.
“Sorry, Valentino. I think maybe I’m allergic to hellberries.” Gray wiped his face.
“He does look like he’s getting hives.” Angel pointed to Gray’s torso.
Valentino sighed and turned to Travis. “Find a different damn pastry for this. We’ll start again tomorrow. Everyone take an early day. Not you, Angel. You come with me.”
Angel could barely hide his grimace at that. Being separated from the herd was rarely good but on the other hand, Val usually didn’t like to screw him when he was still sloppy from being on set. Angel pulled on his robe and followed him, not to a dressing room to his surprise. No, they got on the elevator and rode down to the aquarium level. Usually, Angel didn’t mind this. He loved the aquarium and was grateful Vox allowed him to come here to watch his fish and sharks so long as he was silent.
However, seeing both Vox and Velvette waiting on them made it creepy. Angel’s pulse quickened. What the hell was going on? Velvette looked way too happy to see him and Vox…well Vox had been different ever since the last extermination. He’d always been a creepy fuck. Angel hated every time Valentino made him service Vox too. He couldn’t look him in his screen, didn’t know how Val could. How many times had he had to control his own instinct to freak out when Vox unfurled his tongue from that fucking screen only to jam it down Angel’s throat, probably more to please Valentino who liked to watch than any desire on Vox’s part to fuck Angel. Still any hole in a storm, right? Currently, there was no sense of desire at all, just a cold stare, like the sharks behind Vox in the aquarium. Angel shivered, feeling like shark bait.
He had never really been afraid to come to work unless he knew Val was in a mood or pissed at him but recently, ever since the battle where they had lost so much and gained something more, Angel had been nervous every day at the studio. In the past, all too often, the Vees would talk in front of him if Val was making him act like Angel was his lap dog. Maybe they thought he was dumber than a Yorkie. Lately, they had stopped that and it took him a moment to realize they were up to something.
It seemed a strange time to try anything. Lucifer showed his power in battling Adam and restoring the hotel as if it were nothing. Henroin had taught Angel and his brother well. Angel knew how mob bosses worked. As much as he disliked politics, Angel understood power vacuums and what men like his father, like Vox, would do to fill them.
Maybe it’s not Lucifer alone that’s got Vox thinking. Al got his ass handed to him and Lucifer didn’t show until too late for Pentious, too late for Dazzle, damn near too late to save Charlie. She ain’t got the heart to kill. Vox does. Might be thinking he can be the Don of Hell. Sweat popped out on Angel’s back at the thought of it. Henroin would know how to handle this. Arackniss too. Kinda wish he was here.
That thought surprised Angel. His brother was a tiny asshole. Most of the time he was glad he hadn’t seen him in years. Sometimes, though, he missed his big brother who had been so much fun when they were kids, running around Brooklyn without a care.
“You’re early,” Vox said to Valentino who shrugged.
“My actors are idiots. Had to take a break and figured why not do this now?”
The cold sweat spread over Angel, his palms slicking. He rubbed them on his robe. Things went from creepy to alarming. Something bad was about to happen and it was preparing to steamroll him.
Valentino propelled him toward Vox’s bank of electronics in the far corner away from the tanks. He knocked Angel against a chair set up there. “Sit, baby.”
That was a tone of voice Angel knew better than to protest but he did anyhow because once he sat he’d be at a disadvantage. “What’s going on, Val?”
“We’re going to have a little talk.”
“About what?”
“I said sit.” Val casually backhanded him, nearly taking him off his feet.
Angel sat, his robe gaping open. Velvette curled her lip at his exposed flesh. “Ya didn’t have to get mean, Val. I was just-”
“Being a disobedient little cunt, yes, I know.” Valentino got in Angel’s face, breathing his red smoke directly into it.
“Val,” Vox said low conveying the message ‘don’t make this harder than need be.’
Valentino squinched up his features, his eyes quickly cutting over to Vox and then back to Angel. “People are actually hanging around that hotel.”
What did that have to do….Oh God, this is gonna be about Charlie, ain’t it? He had to play it loose and cool. “Yeah, we got some new patrons after 666 News broadcasted the battle.”
“Can’t help but notice the hotel’s neon Xs and hearts, amorcito.” Valentino loomed over him. Why was he upset about that now? It had been a few weeks since the rebuild of the hotel. “How hard did you suck Lucifer’s cock to get him to do that for you?” Valentino raked his fingers through Angel’s hair before grabbing a handful so he could jerk Angel’s head back, forcing him to look up at him.
He instinctively grabbed Valentino’s wrists. Angel struggled to keep all the Vees in view. The last thing he needed was for one of them to come up behind him while Valentino was being a prick. “Val, ya’re hurting me.”
“I haven’t started hurting you yet.”
“I didn’t touch Lucifer. He’d probably smite me if I asked.” Angel scowled. He’d been tempted. Lucifer was a doll baby but his short king wasn’t gonna want the likes of him. And he was busy losing his heart to a certain grumpy old fucker. He hadn’t even thought to come on to Lucifer. “He did it because I stood by his daughter when her girl told me to run before the battle.”
“Ha, he loves the princess,” Velvette snickered. “You owe me, Vox.”
Vox shrugged. “I know he’s the princess’ man but loving her might be a bit of a stretch.”
No, it really wasn’t. Angel adored Charlie like a sister.
“Told you so. He tried to protect her from me once.” Valentino pulled harder on Angel’s hair. “Didn’t learn anything from that lesson, did you, baby?”
“I did! She hasn’t been back down here, has she?” Angel babbled. He had to protect Charlie. He owed her everything he currently had. He owed her for the sense of hope and family filling him.
“And you’re going to tell us everything she’s planning,” Valentino said. “Her and the Radio Demon. They’re in it together and we need to know what they’re up to.”
Angel shook his head, strands of his hair tearing through Valentino’s strong fingers. “No, I ain’t doing that, Valentino. Charlie ain’t got no interest in ya guys. She’s only interested in her plan to redeem sinners. And Alastor, he don’t talk to me really. He probably cares about Vox. We all know about that radio broadcast where he was taunting ya, Vox, but he don’t talk about that around us. Probably thinks Charlie wouldn’t approve of whatever he’s thinking about ya.”
“You’re going to have to do better than that. We know she’ll be back down here, causing us problems and you’re going to stop that for us. You’re going to be our mole,” Valentino insisted.
“Never. Ya can’t make me do that,” Angel fought himself free of Valentino’s grasp but Valentino planted his hands on Angel’s shoulders, forcing him down in the chair.
“Oh, but I can. I own you or did you forget?”
“How could I forget? Ya own me here, Val, but not out there. At the hotel I’m my own man and I ain’t doing that.”
“Then I’ll keep you here until you agree and you’re not going to like the things I do to you until you finally agree to help us,” Valentino promised.
Angel swallowed hard. He could give in and make them think he agreed to it. He could pass them fake information. He couldn’t give in too easily though or they’d suspect. He tried to mentally prepare himself for what came next but all the preparation in the world couldn’t really help with the beating he was about to take, with the multiple violations of his body he’d suffer. “She’ll come down here after me. Ya don’t want that. What if she tells Daddy?”
“You little bitch.”
In a flash Valentino’s hands flew from Angel’s shoulders to his neck. Angel gagged as Valentino’s fingers dug into his flesh with bruising force as he strangled him.
I have to fight! Of course he did. When he was alive, how many times had he been in Valentino’s shoes? How many people had he and Arackniss tormented and killed? The ones who sat there and took it died faster. The ones that fought back at least stood a chance.
Angel coiled a leg against the chair, gasping for air around Val’s hands, and then he swung that leg up between Valentino’s legs. Not expecting Angel to strike back, not when Valentino had such control in his castle, Valentino took the blow full on. Angel might have burst one of his testicles judging by how loud Val screamed. Twisting, Angel buried his fangs in Valentino’s arm and dumped his venom. It couldn’t kill Val but he wasn’t going to be right for days.
Angel kicked Valentino away and raced for the door, nearly losing his robe which Val still had a claw into. Angel ripped it free, not slowing in his bid for freedom. Something slammed into his thigh and he went down hard. His chin split open when it hit the floor, blood dripping like a faucet. He glanced back to see Velvette with a bow and an arrow glowing what would be a pretty shade of lilac if she wasn’t gonna fucking shoot him again. She has a bow? I ain’t never seen her use a weapon other than her sharp ass tongue.
“Told you he’d never be on board with this, Val,” Vox said in a world weary tone as he strolled over to Angel and grabbed him by the wounded leg. His whole limb tingled and was numb, like he’d been electrocuted. “He’s as stupid as Pentious.”
“Pentious was a genius,” Angel growled, summoning up a Tommy gun.
Velvette shot him in the chest and Angel spasmed, losing his weapon. Vox shot her a look. “Don’t worry, they’re low powered, just enough to stun him,” she said. “I know we need him. I’m not Val.”
Vox turned his gaze to his fallen partner who was cursing loudly in Spanish, his whole body pouring sweat and spasming from the venom. Angel tried to crawl away or at least kick Vox but no part of him wanted to work. Vox dragged Angel by the leg, his robe rolling up under his dual shoulders to leave his bottom half completely bared. Everything hung out, his lowest set of arms and his genitals, his control over them stripped away by the electric shock of Velvette’s arrows. Vox hefted him up into the chair and faced him toward the monitors. His robe was crumpled under him now, still leaving him naked and vulnerable on the chair.
“I know you’re not, Velvette. And I have a more efficient way to make Angel do what we want.”
Vox slid his fingers over Angel’s cheeks in something close to a caress. God, is he gonna be the one to try and rape me into agreement?
“You’ll help us or else.”
“Or else what, ya cocksplat?” Angel spat. He was gonna get hurt anyhow. He might as well be as obnoxious about it as he could. “I ain’t betraying Charlie.”
“You’ll do as I ask or I’ll keep hitting them until they can’t get up anymore. You say yes or I grind them into dust.” Vox stabbed a finger at the bank of flat screens he had set Angel in front of.
Before Angel could ask who they were, the screens flickered to life. On the left hand side of the bank, Cherri fought off a hoard of assholes all up in her turf. She was outnumbered and she’d been less diligent about her territory ever since Pentious had been disintegrated, ever since she started staying at the hotel more. Cherri whipped bombs, a determined grin on her face but fuck if it didn’t look bad for her. On the right side of the bank, screens showed Charlie’s limo, wheels flattened, being surrounded by red-eyed sinners, probably mind controlled by Vox because you’d have to be an idiot to attack the lord of hell’s child. Idiot or not, she and Vaggie were even more outnumbered than Cherri. One of them hit Charlie.
“No!” A roar tore out of Angel’s throat.
“Oh yes.” Vox laughed.
Angel screwed his eyes shut, looking away but Vox had returned his fingers to Angel’s face. He cocked Angel’s head back up. With painful force, Vox peeled Angel’s eyes open and made him watch the battles. Cherri looked more desperate as her supply of bombs dwindled. Vaggie and Charlie, weapons drawn, used the car as a shield. Angel couldn’t help them. No one knew they were in this much need of an ally. If the others knew their friends were under attack, they’d be there to help.
“Don’t do this, Vox!”
“I will strip away everything you love,” Vox promised, his fingers tightening against Angel’s face. They pressed so hard into his secondary eyes he thought they might pop like grapes. “The princess will no doubt get away from this skirmish but I’ll keep hitting her until she can’t. But that will take time and resources and there are better ways to bring her down. That’s where you come in. You’re going to make it easier and maybe the princess doesn’t get killed. As for your doped up girlfriend, who gives a shit if she survives the day?”
Tears welled up in Angel’s eyes and spilled down his face and over Vox’s fingers.
“Stop it,” he begged as some bastard got his hands on Cherri’s hair. Another tore at Vaggie’s skirt only to get kicked in the face. Oh God, I have to help them! But what could he do but watch, Vox’s claws digging into his face as Charlie punched someone in the throat. Angel could all but hear her saying, “Sorry,” as she did so.
“Agree to spy on her and Alastor for me and I’ll call them off.”
Angel shook hard, sobbing now. “Per favore, perdonami,” he whispered but they shouldn’t forgive him. This was his fault. Vox had guessed he wouldn’t betray Charlie without cause. He still wouldn’t but he could fake it. He had to be able to fake flipping sides.
“That doesn’t sound like a yes.”
“He’s never going to say yes,” Velvette said but Angel was ready to. He’d pretend to be their spy, anything to protect his friends. “You’ll have to do the thing.”
“I’ll do it!” Angel shouted. “I’ll do it. Ya don’t have to do that to me.” He damn well knew what ‘the thing’ was. How many people had he seen Vox strip away mental control from and implant his desires?
“Oh, I was always going to do that, no matter what he says. Angel probably thinks he can trick us.” Vox laughed, letting Angel go. He stepped around him, blocking the screens with his body. His eyes did that rippling black circles thing they did when his mind control powers surfaced.
Angel squirmed, trying to rise but whatever Velvette’s arrows had done to him hadn’t faded yet. Velvette stepped over Valentino’s now-unconscious body. She shoved Angel down and she took over prying open his eyes. Angel found himself staring Vox straight into his screen. Vox wormed into his brain. Angel tried to fight, mentally yammering at Molly in Italian as if that could confuse and stop Vox. For a moment it seemed to. He whimpered as Vox pushed harder. Angel struggled to amp up his imagined conversation with his twin. He winced as Vox dug in like fingers slipping into gray matter. Angel gasped and then he was gone with Vox’s voice whispering in his ear.
# # #
Already wasted, Angel stumbled into the hotel’s new, clean, lobby. Cherri Bomb, her head swathed with bandages, sat at the bar with Vaggie and Charlie, all bearing wounds. Husk leaned against the bar as they talked about what had happened to them and what they needed to do to keep it from happening again.
I need to tell Vox about this. Angel thought. He scowled. Why would he do that? He needed to, he knew that much. Not liking that thought, he needed to go find a good place to snort enough drugs until he couldn’t hear those thoughts anymore.
“What the hell, Angel?” Vaggie asked, spotting him in his all too obviously under the influence glory.
“Rough day,” he said as if that explained it. He didn’t wait for them to say anything about him being high, about how he’d fallen off the wagon. Ya need to stay. Vox needs to know these things.
Angel weighed that intrusive thought against the sweet oblivion of more drugs. Drugs won so he staggered upstairs, ignoring his friends. He wanted Vox out of his head. He had to please one overlord daily. Why was he worrying about another? He sure as fuck didn’t want to so he’d splurged on several baggies. Most he hid in his sex toy chest. Vaggie and Charlie wouldn’t look there. He poured out several thick lines on his vanity. He’d snorted half of them by the time Husk and Cherri were at his door.
“Kid, are you all right?” Husk asked.
“Of course, he ain’t. Look at him,” Cherri retorted. “Angelcakes, what happened?”
“Just a rough shoot.” Was it though? Angel couldn’t even remember most of the day. Valentino must have treated him to one of Velvette’s latest concoctions.
“You want company?” Husk shot him a look of concern. “The ladies want you to come back downstairs.”
I need to go down there. They might talk about their plans. Vox needs to know. What the fuck was wrong with him? No, he was better off up here snorting drugs. “Don’t want to. I’m staying here.” He sucked up another line.
“He shouldn’t be alone. I’ll stay with him,” Cherri said.
“If you don’t mind, I’m staying. You can tell Charlie Angel’s not well tonight,” Husk said.
“Fine. My head hurts too much to argue.” Cherri stomped off.
Husk reached out to touch Angel’s cheek and he flinched away. What the fuck is wrong with ya? You and Husk, you’re together…he’s being sweet. Ya want him sweet. Angel had no answer to his own question. All he knew was he didn’t want anyone touching his face.
“You’re bruised all over your face and neck, kid. Who split your chin open? Is there anything I can do? There’s that facial ice pack in the first aid kit. I can put it in the freezer for later.”
Angel shook his head and dragged himself over to his bed. He flopped on it but the coke and PCP mix wasn’t going to let him sleep. “Hold me, Husk.”
Husk didn’t hesitate. He sat on the bed with Angel and held him. “What’s wrong? What did they do?”
“I don’t know and that scares me.” Angel trembled, burying his face in Husk’s fur. “I don’t know how I got all bruised up, even back here.” He ran a hand over the back of his thigh. He’d seen the starburst wound that looked like a burn.
“That needs treated, Angel.”
“Hold me now, worry about that later,” Angel insisted and Husk complied.
He’d have to let Husk treat him and he needed to sit in on Charlie’s planning sessions. Why, he couldn’t say. He never gave much of a damn before but now…he needed to, right? Someone wanted him to. Who? Vox, yeah that’s who. The drugs said ‘who gives a fuck, just let us float your troubles away.’ That seemed like a better option to him. Screw TV head. When did he start caring about what Vox wanted? All Angel wanted to do was rest in Husk’s arms and not worry about anything else. Whoever wanted something from him, they’d just have to wait.
End Note
Sorry for the rather ambiguous ending. I don’t tend to go for them but that seemed fitting for this story and that tiny snip of a scene we saw in the trailer. This is just my speculation on how that could play out. Will it end well for Angel? Guess we’ll see soon enough.
Today I call the Grove City office for my surgeon because I'm less annoyed at them because I was at fault for some of that too. It was a mix up. And she goes...well I'm not sure why Chillicothe told you to make a Thursday appt. He does surgery thur/fri So now I'm furious because I suspect that there never WAS a real appt yesterday. I think someone fucked up and all they needed to do was lie to me and say we need to reschedule.
Now I'm going on the 30th and I have to cut a lab in half to get up there for a 4 pm appt. I'm also thinking of calling Cabell on Monday to see if I can get into the ENT surgeon quickly. Highly doubtful but it's worth a call.
I dump off my art today and the new art person loves the one with bones. After I get to my office I realize....I did NOT take pictures of either art project. Go Dana Go.
I get home and I call my insurance after I check my HSA and my EOBs about Aspen Dental which I want to burn down. Yes paid them 180$ but my EOB says I only owed 40 so yes they did owe me back 140 some. So now they say I owed around 170 keeping my money and asking for 25$ more.
I poke around my insurance and as far as I can tell it should have been covered 100%. I call my insurance and it's too soon to tell but she agreed, I shouldn't have owed ANYTHING. So I will be watching every EOB for next few weeks. I'm so angry at them.
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Date: 2025-09-16 02:36 pm (UTC)I hope the insurance matter is settled quickly. And easily.
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Date: 2025-09-19 02:24 am (UTC)