Curled tightly into a ball on the tiny cot in the seedy dressing room, Angel didn't even notice the bills which dropped in front of her face. She hardly noticed the hands smoothing synthetic hair from her face and it was several long moments until she looked up, mascara streaking her face, nose swollen.
"You ok, honey?" The voice of reason. China.
Angel tried to sit up, but that hurt, so she just leaned on one hand and tried to wipe her face with the other. Clucking softly under her breath, the older drag queen gently cleaned the black streaks off the teenager's face with her thumbs, then went for a washcloth in the bathroom.
The cool water felt good on her swollen face, and Angel sighed, allowing China to care for her. There wasn't much the younger drag queen was going to be able to do about it. Even if she didn't want her to, China was going to do as she pleased.
"What happened, Angel-girl?" China finally asked, looking the kid's face over for bruising. "Surely that wasn't your first time?"
"No," Angel admitted, scrubbing both hands across her face, then taking the cloth from China and holding it on the swollen skin.
"Then what?"
Angel gathered herself then shook her head, looking at her self-appointed 'fairy drag mother.'
"N-nothing," she said, in a voice which was stronger but still more than a little shaky. "Thanks for letting me use your dressing room."
"Anytime, honey," China said, affectionately, gently taking the wig from the teen's head and ruffling her real hair. Angel smiled again. "You all right?"
"Yeah," Angel replied. "M'fine."
"C'mere," China said, opening her arms to the child.
Angel hesitated a minute, but she melted into those arms, laying her head on the padded bosom in front of her. She knew there was no turning back after what she'd just done. It was doubtful that anyone would ever want to hold her again with what she'd become, so she sighed and allowed herself to be comforted.
Angel shifted, needing to curl up again, and lay her head in China's lap. Her chest hitched slightly at the feel of the older drag queen's motherly hands in her chin-length curls.
"China, did I do the right thing?" she asked softly.
"Don't know, honey," China answered, bending to kiss Angel's cheek. Gazing at the sweet little face in front of her, she swore to give Pietro a piece of her mind about selling teenagers. Babies, really. But she knew the reality of the world this child had given herself into, and she knew it might be the only way the kid would survive. Didn't mean she didn't hate it though.
"China?" Angel's hesitant voice broke into the older drag queen's reverie.
"Yes honey?"
"Would you . . ." Angel paused.
"What baby?"
"Will you hold me?"
"Course, sweetie." China smiled slightly as she shifted into the narrow bed. Her arms gently enveloped the much smaller body beside hers.
"Th-thanks," Angel murmured softly, snuggling in beside the older drag queen. "Care 'f I sleep here tonight?"
"'Course not, honey," China answered gently. "Sleep now, ok?"
"Kay," Angel murmured, yawning. "Night China."
"Night honey."