[Angel actually laughs at that, lets his head tip back to thud against his bathroom door again. Did he sound like this, to Charlie? Probably. And what had she -- and the rest of those chucklefucks -- done?
They'd stayed. Charlie would stay. Velvet might be shrieking and hurling cruel things at Angel, but she also hasn't hung up yet. Part of her -- however small, however buried -- doesn't want to fully push him away.]
I know you, Vel. I was you. And when you're done bein' a massive bitch, you're gonna need someone who understands. Cause nobody else will. That's why I ain't goin' nowhere, no matter how much you scream at me.
Cause nobody stuck around, when I was where you were. [A slow, shaky inhale.] If'n they had, things woulda been...real different. So: fuck you. You can't scare me away.
[none of it is what Velvet wants to hear. She doesn't even understand.
Why would he stick around? Why? What does he want out of her? And why does she always end up feeling like blabbing to him, anyway? They aren't family, they're barely friends— she only wanted his approval because he's a celebrity, right?
Not because he's a twin, not because he understands her. No one does, her mind wants to believe, and even if they did—]
It's too late.
It doesn't matter. I have to— this has to work.
So don't— bother.
[She wants to be giving cattier lines. Wants to live up to that massive bitch statement. She wants to hang up.
But for the first time, Veneer and Angel have gotten her to feel... scared.]
No, it ain't. [If it wasn't too late for Angel, it sure as fuck isn't for Velvet. Angel will -- figure something out. For her sake, for Veneer's, for everyone who's going to be fucked over if Valentino gets anywhere close to his old level of power. Maybe for himself, who knows.]
Aincha learned by now, babycakes? Don't tell Angel Dust what to do. [There's even a touch of humor in the words, beneath the cockiness.] I'm gonna do whatever I want, and you ain't gonna stop me.
...don't drink anything he gives you. [Suddenly deathly serious, whether Velvet listens or not.] Not even a sip. Nothing.
[Angel says something that she was already planning on doing. And somehow, that manages to hook Velvet at the last minute. She's not good enough at this not to sound a bit sniffly, but...]
I wasn't gonna.
[A bit of a childish way to say it, but it's true. Not even out of suspecting Valentino of doing anything to the drinks— though now that Angel says something, she should have thought of that, shouldn't she? Stupid, of course she should've—]
[Angel gives a raspy bark of laughter, rolling all eight of his eyes.] Evidence's gonna beg to differ, sweetheart. Made about the stupidest choice anyone coulda made, gettin' anywhere near that guy.
[A pause, then, because he can hear Charlie's damn voice in his ear, hear her dumb little lessons and encouragements and exortations:] You ain't gotta listen, but you're gonna hear me -- he starts gettin' mad, starts throwin' stuff, you call me. Lemme deal with it. Don't try'n stop him, he'll just get pissed off. If it gets real bad, even if you ain't stopped bein' a bitch, I'll get over there.
Cause -- [Angel sighs, reaching up and pressing his thumb gently to the fresh bruises around his throat, wincing at the spark of pain.] Cause I've been there. When it's good. I remember. [There's a note of longing in Angel's voice, buried deep, somewhere tender and hidden -- Valentino hadn't just been his boss, back then. They'd been -- something. Special. Or so Angel had thought.]
Plus bein' not so much of an asshole's kinda my thing these days. You should try it sometime. Might like it. [Okay, Angel's still gotta Angel, even if he's turned over a new leaf.]
[It might seem like talking to a brick wall, with how reticent Velvet is. But What Angel's saying is important— it might not do much now, but Velvet will remember it, one day, when fear replaces all that anger.
For now all Angel gets is the sound of her frustration followed by silence— she's met the end of her patience, and doesn't want to hear more. Maybe hanging up, she figures, will get him to leave her be.
He doesn't get it, she tells herself, doesn't understand, a lie she has to repeat to herself to even try to believe it.]
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/rends my garments
Date: 2024-03-28 02:06 am (UTC)They'd stayed. Charlie would stay. Velvet might be shrieking and hurling cruel things at Angel, but she also hasn't hung up yet. Part of her -- however small, however buried -- doesn't want to fully push him away.]
I know you, Vel. I was you. And when you're done bein' a massive bitch, you're gonna need someone who understands. Cause nobody else will. That's why I ain't goin' nowhere, no matter how much you scream at me.
Cause nobody stuck around, when I was where you were. [A slow, shaky inhale.] If'n they had, things woulda been...real different. So: fuck you. You can't scare me away.
no subject
Date: 2024-03-28 02:31 am (UTC)Why would he stick around? Why? What does he want out of her? And why does she always end up feeling like blabbing to him, anyway? They aren't family, they're barely friends— she only wanted his approval because he's a celebrity, right?
Not because he's a twin, not because he understands her. No one does, her mind wants to believe, and even if they did—]
It's too late.
It doesn't matter. I have to— this has to work.
So don't— bother.
[She wants to be giving cattier lines. Wants to live up to that massive bitch statement. She wants to hang up.
But for the first time, Veneer and Angel have gotten her to feel... scared.]
no subject
Date: 2024-03-28 03:29 am (UTC)Aincha learned by now, babycakes? Don't tell Angel Dust what to do. [There's even a touch of humor in the words, beneath the cockiness.] I'm gonna do whatever I want, and you ain't gonna stop me.
...don't drink anything he gives you. [Suddenly deathly serious, whether Velvet listens or not.] Not even a sip. Nothing.
no subject
Date: 2024-03-28 03:40 am (UTC)I wasn't gonna.
[A bit of a childish way to say it, but it's true. Not even out of suspecting Valentino of doing anything to the drinks— though now that Angel says something, she should have thought of that, shouldn't she? Stupid, of course she should've—]
I'm— I'm not stupid.
no subject
Date: 2024-03-29 01:49 am (UTC)[A pause, then, because he can hear Charlie's damn voice in his ear, hear her dumb little lessons and encouragements and exortations:] You ain't gotta listen, but you're gonna hear me -- he starts gettin' mad, starts throwin' stuff, you call me. Lemme deal with it. Don't try'n stop him, he'll just get pissed off. If it gets real bad, even if you ain't stopped bein' a bitch, I'll get over there.
no subject
Date: 2024-03-29 02:21 am (UTC)Why?
[What's his end of the deal? Where are the strings?]
no subject
Date: 2024-03-30 01:52 am (UTC)Plus bein' not so much of an asshole's kinda my thing these days. You should try it sometime. Might like it. [Okay, Angel's still gotta Angel, even if he's turned over a new leaf.]
no subject
Date: 2024-03-30 02:25 am (UTC)For now all Angel gets is the sound of her frustration followed by silence— she's met the end of her patience, and doesn't want to hear more. Maybe hanging up, she figures, will get him to leave her be.
He doesn't get it, she tells herself, doesn't understand, a lie she has to repeat to herself to even try to believe it.]