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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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.
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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.
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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.
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Date: 2024-03-29 02:21 am (UTC)Why?
[What's his end of the deal? Where are the strings?]
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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.]
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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.]